Malintis Syndrome
by LPK9
Summary: Darth Vader descends on the planet of Champala to investigate the recent escape of an important Rebel prisoner. What he discovers changes his life forever. AU which takes place a few months after the rescue of Han Solo in ROTJ. There is no Death Star 2. Now with a new Epilogue!
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Star Wars, in any form!

 _Author note: The first chapter is just setting things up, so it won't make much sense. You aren't supposed to know what is going on yet!_

Location: Main psychiatric hospital in Pentz, capital city of Champala

Time: 4 years ABY (After Battle of Yavin)

AU: No Death Star 2 exists, but this fan fiction occurs after the rescue of Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt

Warnings: Mild mentions of torture and medical testing on patients without proper consent. No swearing.

 _Chapter 1_

Dr. Solon Kast stepped forward and gestured sharply to his medical assistant.

"Give her 3 cc's of mopadentalip immediately," he said loudly over the yells of the frantic patient.

The assistant swooped forward and quickly injected the thrashing woman. She quickly lost consciousness.

Kast sighed in irritation.

"Take her back to her room," he ordered the assistant, who rapidly moved the woman out on her hoverbed.

Kast shook his head and moved over to enter in the results of the latest test into the patient's record.

"Doctor Kast?" inquired a voice from the doorway.

Kast turned to see a colleague, Dr. Gilanz, standing at the door.

"What can I do for you, Doctor?" he asked courteously, and gestured him in.

Gilanz had an anticipatory gleam in his eye, and one that Kast recognized and relished.

"Ah, you have a case for me?" Kast asked hopefully.

"Well, perhaps," Gilanz said carefully, "I'm not positive it's what I think it is, but I'm willing to transfer my patient over to you if you are interested."

Kast took a deep breath and then relaxed it in a sigh of disappointment, "You usually have interesting cases for me, Gilanz, but I really should say no. We're in the middle of a protocol for a new psychiatric drug, RDU90. I'm processing a great many patients these days, and the rest of the time I'm 'finding' new test subjects."

Gilanz raised his eyebrows, "I would not have thought that would be an issue since you are the head of the hospital."

"Unfortunately, many of the psychiatric patients have relatives nearby who check on them. This drug, while it has potential, needs quite a bit of testing before we'll find the optimal injection schedule. The last patient had a very negative reaction. So I'm finding test subjects in prisons, off-world mental wards, even. It is quite tedious."

Gilanz nodded sympathetically and moved toward the door, "That's fine. I appreciate a chance with him anyway. I just thought you should have first rights as you are a recognized expert on peculiar disorders like Malintis Syndrome."

Only Kast's professionalism kept him from breaking into a gleeful smile of anticipation and excitement.

"Malintis Syndrome? Are you sure?" he demanded.

"No, I am not sure," Gilanz said with a smile, "But there is a reasonable possibility. But I know you are busy so…"

"No, no, no," Kast said with enthusiasm, "I'll clear my day, my week for a good case of Malintis. Patients are so rare! Tell me about the patient. Male, you said? What species?"

Gilanz quickly assumed a professional demeanor, "Yes, male, human, early 20's by the looks of him. He caused a disturbance in a cantina in a small town about 50 km away. He was arrested on a minor assault violation, and while in custody started rambling so a local doctor checked on him. He seems to have a persecution complex, so the doctor, an old friend of mine, gave me a call. I'm still working on a research article on that subject."

"Still and forever," Kast said with a smirk.

Gilanz groaned, "I too have my challenges in finding subjects, though I recognize Malintis and those other pet disorders of yours are even rarer than imagining the entire galaxy is after you. Anyway, after I took custody of the individual, he started muttering in such a way that I'm 80% sure he's displaying symptoms of Milantis Syndrome. But you are, of course, the one to decide that."

Kast nodded eagerly, "I'll get right to him. But tell me a bit more. Name? Occupation?"

Gilanz shook his head, "He goes by the name Kamton Palisti, but that's clearly an alias. His ID's were forged, no doubt about it, but they look like hundreds of others out there, no doubt purchased from some outfit like Black Sun. Nothing special about them. Occupation, hard to tell. He has a few scars and is in excellent physical shape, so I'd say some form of manual labor. Dark brown hair, blue eyes. That's about it. Speaks good Basic. "

So, Kast said with a predatory gleam in his eye, "No known family, here on Champala illegally – almost certainly no one will notice if he disappears permanently."

Gilanz nodded, "Indeed. I'll have my people transfer him over. Do you want him here?"

Kast walked to the window and looked out towards a tall building nearby, but separated from the psychiatric hospital by force fields.

"Yes, bring him here," he said after a moment. He lifted an eyebrow at Gilanz, "If he turns out not to have Milantis, I'll let you know and transfer him back to your facility so that you can analyze the persecution complex. If he is a good candidate for my research, I'll have him transferred permanently to Building Z."

Gilanz nodded, "Very good, Doctor. Thank you."

"No, thank _you_ ," Kast responded absently.

He moved over to the holoterminal to clear the rest of his day of appointments


	2. Chapter 2

**_48 hours later_**

 ** _Main Imperial garrison in Pentz, capital city of Champala_**

Darth Vader was very, very, _very_ angry.

And when Darth Vader was angry, people died.

The question today was not whether someone would die, but how many people would die.

He might just wipe out the entire Imperial government complex on this miserable planet.

Those who served the Emperor must be not just competent, but stellar, in performing their duties.

The prisoner had been a vital capture, with important data about local Rebel cells. And these morons had _lost_ him!

In the blackest of moods, Darth Vader strode down the ramp onto the deck of the main landing bay of the Imperial garrison. Following him quickly was a young lieutenant who would serve as aide-de-camp during Vader's investigation of this security fiasco. The lieutenant would also be able to spread the word of the aftermath with those on board the _Executor_. It was always useful to remind his own men that their commander did not take failure lightly.

Imperial protocol necessitated at least 20 stormtroopers as an honor guard during an official visit by Lord Darth Vader. As Vader emerged onto the landing bay floor, he did a quick visual sweep and counted at least 100 stormtroopers standing at attention. Clearly, Commander Binze was going to great lengths to salute his superior, no doubt in the hopes of mitigating his punishment.

Vader stalked down and walked directly towards the exit of the docking bay, forcing the Commander to quickly reverse and then scurry after him, all the while babbling some nonsense about the honor that was his for hosting Lord Vader…

"You may dispense with the pleasantries," Vader cut him off. "Escort me to the conference room immediately so we can discuss this travesty, and the garrison's appropriate consequences."

Binze was immediately silenced, and Vader could tell from his Force sense that he was terrified. But Imperial discipline held, and Binze guided his superior into a small conference room only a few hundred meters from the landing bay.

The room held several officers and, to Vader's surprise and displeasure, two obvious civilians.

"Why are these men here?" Vader demanded harshly.

Both men quivered in fear, while one of the officers stepped forward to explain, "Drs. Gast and Kilanz were the doctors overseeing the agent who helped Prince Listoff escape, my Lord. The agent in question posed as a psychiatric patient in order to gain access to Building Z, the local high security psychiatric institution where Listoff was being held."

Vader swung on his heel to face the Commander.

"Commander Binze," he rumbled, "You will kindly explain why Prince Listoff was held in a psychiatric hospital, instead of here in the garrison in the maximum security cells."

This was, apparently, too much for Binze. The man turned a shade of green and seemed to wobble slightly. Before Vader's rage erupted into a quick execution, the same officer intervened.

"My Lord, I am Lieutenant Commander Loftan of Star Destroyer _Vengeance_ , which has been stationed in orbit above Champala for the last five standard months. After Listoff's escape, my captain tasked me to obtain the facts surrounding his escape so that I could present them to you. In addition to my training in intelligence, I have also studied psychiatry, so it seemed I would be the best officer to study this incident. If I may, I will now lay out the circumstances surrounding Listoff's arrest and subsequent flight."

Vader nodded grudgingly. This was at least efficient.

"Proceed."

Loftan gathered his thoughts, then spoke, "Five standard days ago, we received information from the Imperial Security Bureau that Prince Listoff, elder statesman of the Listoff dynasty, has proven ties to the Rebel Alliance. Plans were then made to arrest and interrogate Listoff. However, the Prince is much beloved by the local population of Champala, so the decision was made to disguise Listoff's arrest as a medical intervention. One of his aides slipped a drug into his food, with the result that Listoff had an apparent psychiatric episode at a public function. He was then brought to high security psychiatric facility, known locally as Building Z."

Vader's aide spoke up indignantly, "It would have been better to broadcast his arrest openly to the local populace. They should know that no one is immune from arrest and interrogation if he sides with the Rebel insurrectionists."

Loftan paused, glanced at Vader, and then spoke carefully, "Perhaps that would have proven a better course of action. However, it has been the acting policy of the local Imperial garrison to treat the Listoffs with care. Until Prince Listoff's foolish decision to work with the Alliance, the royal family has been all too ready to accede to all Imperial demands in exchange for wealth and safety. Furthermore, the local populace venerates Prince Listoff for his actions 20 years ago during an epidemic, when he used much of his private fortune to bring necessary medication from off world facilities. In retrospect, his concern for the locals was probably a sign that his own loyalties were not as self-centered as the rest of his family."

Vader asked, "Does he have a wife? Or children?"

"No, my Lord," Loften answered promptly, "Prince Listoff will be succeeded by his nephew, whose father died several years ago. I should add that the nephew has been extremely eager to see his uncle put away permanently, as he's waited for years to take his uncle's royal position as head of the Listoff dynasty."

Vader sneered beneath his mask. They were all the same, these royal princelings. All too ready to sacrifice family ties and honor for power and wealth.

And then, his unregulated memory suddenly brought up a vivid image of another young man, clutching a pole with his one remaining hand, battered countenance looking at him with horror. His own son had sacrificed both power and family ties, and embraced almost certain death, to honor his devotion to the Jedi ways.

Vader shook his head slightly to clear the memory. His hunt for Luke Skywalker was obsessive and unending, but he had not had even an inkling of his son's activities in the last several months. It was a large galaxy and Luke had proven surprisingly adept at evading capture in the last four years. Vader clung to the hope that he and his son would cross paths again, and that his son would relinquish his foolishly idealistic beliefs. Based on Skywalker's actions on Cloud City, that seemed a forlorn hope at times. But, Vader reminded himself, his son had obviously been unaware of their family relationship and had been making decisions while in a state of physical and emotional shock. Once Luke truly accepted that Vader was indeed his father, he would join him and they would rule the galaxy as father and son.

His musings were interrupted by Loften's continuation of the regrettable tale of Listoff's escape.

"Building Z, as it is termed locally, is a high security psychiatric facility which is also used, at times, for the interrogation of select prisoners. Naturally, the medications needed for such interrogations are readily available, and since some of the patients are mentally disturbed and violent, no one questions that security is tight. It also contains one floor that is more…pleasant…than the rest of the facility, and patients can be moved into that area if relatives need to be placated. Thus, Listoff's incarceration there was not questioned by the local populace, and it was indeed a viable place for his imprisonment and interrogation.

"Prince Listoff is not an entirely healthy individual, and the drug that fueled his public collapse caused additional damage to his circulatory system. The decision was therefore made to question him harshly but not use any physical methods until his health was stabilized. The concern, of course, was that he would collapse and die before any information could be obtained. During the course of the first 4 days of his imprisonment, he regrettably did not provide any usable information, though he showed signs of severe stress under questioning. The professional view of the interrogators was that he would provide useful information soon. His health was also improving, which would allow for more forceful methods of persuasion."

"A factor insufficiently accounted for was that Listoff's incarceration and location were well known, and the Rebels obviously chose to risk an agent in an attempt to rescue the prince, an attempt that proved successful. While security into the facility is extremely tight, it occurred to no one that a Rebel agent might successfully gain entrance while posing as a psychiatric patient."

Commander Binze had apparently revived enough to cast blame on others, "That is your responsibility and fault, Doctors. You were the ones who allowed a Rebel into the high security area of the building, thus enabling Listoff's escape!"

Doctor Gilanz paled and trembled, but Doctor Kast was made of sterner stuff.

"I assure you, officers, and my Lord," he said with a nod at Vader," that my analysis of the patient known as Kamton Palisti was thorough, and included both truth drugs and truth sensors. He was obviously faking the psychiatric order in question, but I professionally do not know how he did it!"

Loften spoke up, "We can discuss the agent's successful deception later, but I suggest that I complete my report."

He turned towards Vader, and continued, "The night after Kast moved Palisti into the secure section of the Building Z, Palisti successfully broke out of his cell, overpowered several guards, broke into Listoff's guarded quarters, and freed him. They successfully fled to the roof, where a few spaceworthy vehicles are located. Palisti must have been chosen partly for his piloting abilities, as he and Listoff lifted off in a stolen vehicle, evaded Imperial pursuit, and went into hyperspace. The ship's noted trajectory was not towards a habitable planet, leaving us to believe the pilot subsequently dropped out of hyperspace to adjust course."

He paused, then spoke again, now with a touch of fear in his voice, "We believe that the chances of recapturing Listoff are essentially zero, my Lord."

There was a long pause. Vader waited to speak, savoring the increasing fear of the other men in the room.

Finally, he spoke, "Lieutenant Commander Loften, have you studied the details of the Rebel agent's initial examination by Dr. Kast?"

Loften nodded, "I have, my Lord. I don't presume to know a great deal about Malintis Syndrome, but Dr. Kast is an expert on abnormal and rare psychiatric disorders. It is extraordinary that Palisti successfully faked it. It would be wise to analyze the recordings further, and provide warnings to other psychiatric facilities on Imperial worlds so that Rebels do not repeat their success of this week. Perhaps they have developed new methods to overcome truth drugs and sensors in the feigning of psychiatric disorders."

Commander Binze had largely been keeping quiet, likely to avoid attracting Vader's attention. But his curiosity apparently got the best of him, as he now spoke up to ask, "What _is_ Malintis Syndrome, Doctors?"

Through the Force, Vader sensed an intense spike of discomfort and—oddly enough, embarrassment– in Kast.

Finally, Dr. Kast spoke, "It is a rare mental disorder in which an individual, usually male, usually young, usually either human or togruta, usually an orphan, convinces himself that he is not a normal citizen of the Galactic Empire, but is instead the offspring of a great and powerful father. It is always a father, never a mother. The individual manages to persuade himself that through a series of either accidents or malevolent interference, the father is not able to claim his son, and therefore the son must live in obscurity. Palisti showed many valid signs of Malintis, but there were abnormalities which made it seem unlikely that he was faking it, as someone pretending would likely adhere more to the accepted symptoms. Plus, as I said, we administered truth drugs and had him on truth monitors. I agree that the whole affair must be investigated carefully."

Again, the uncomfortable pause, followed by the obvious question from Commander Binze.

"Whose child did he claim to be, Doctor Kast?"

Kast swallowed uncomfortably, and did not answer.

Vader stepped forward, "Doctor, whose child did he claim to be?!"

Kast lifted his eyes fearfully and said quietly, "Yours, my Lord. He claimed to be the son of Darth Vader."


	3. Chapter 3

Darth Vader stood frozen in disbelief.

 _He successfully escaped a cell, overpowered numerous guards, and guided a mildly infirm prisoner into a stolen ship and subsequently evaded pursuing craft and went into hyperspace._

 _An accomplished pilot._

 ** _Claimed to be the son of Darth Vader._**

Almost forlornly, he stretched out his Force sense as far as he could, to no avail. Luke was, of course, long gone.

There was a long moment of silence.

Vader's aide spoke, "You should have executed him immediately for daring to say such a thing!"

Doctor Kast spoke up nervously, "I assure you, my Lord, there was no disrespect intended to you. These kinds of mental disorders provide useful information about other psychiatric aberrations. The subject would have been disposed of at the proper time…"

Vader almost snarled at the words "disposed of", but shook it off. It was not important now.

"Doctor," he snapped suddenly, causing everyone else to flinch, "Did you record your initial examination of this so called Palisti?"

Kast, if possible, looked even more anxious. "Yes, my Lord. I also have a written report of my initial thoughts on the subject. If you are curious, I can send them to your aide…"

"No, I want to see the recording, immediately."

Kast opened his mouth as if to protest, then thought better of it. He padded miserably off to a nearby terminal and quickly brought up the file in question. Fearfully, he started the recording.

Darth Vader stepped forward eagerly, every iota of his being focused on the screen.

Kast looked down. He was a dead man now, no doubt about it. He groaned inwardly, his mind going back to the interview in question. He devoutly wished that he had never laid eyes on the man known as Kamton Palisti.

 ** _46 hours earlier_**

 ** _High security patient room in main psychiatric hospital in Pentz, capitol city of Champala_**

 ** _Preliminary analysis of the patient known as Kamton Palisti by Doctor Solon Kast_**

Dr. Kast stepped confidently into the room and thoughtfully considered his patient. Palisti, or whoever he was, was sitting on a large padded chair with arms and legs secured. Kast had deliberately ordered the patient be restrained a full hour earlier, as he had found most men were loquacious after being strapped to a chair, alone, for a period of time.

Palisti did not disappoint.

"Who are you, and what am I doing here? Why have you got me strapped to this chair like some kind of criminal? What's going on?"

Palisti did not immediately answer, but instead proceeded to a nearby storage cube and began removing sensors. These, when attached to various points on the patient's body, would provide biofeedback which would enable him to know when the patient was lying.

As he placed the sensors on the patient's forehead, neck, and arms, he looked at Palisti carefully. He was not particularly tall for a human, but was obviously in good physical condition. His hair was short and very dark, rather at odds with his blue eyes. He was young, probably in his early 20's, but had some minor scarring on his face. His hands-well, this was interesting. His left hand was calloused as would be expected for an individual who worked manual labor. His right hand…

For the first time, Kast spoke to his patient, "Your right hand is a prosthetic!"

Palisti looked straight into his eyes, "That is not important."

Kast considered this, then repeated, "That is not important."

Kast turned around and moved to the window. His brain felt suddenly rather foggy. What was he doing? Oh yes, checking this patient for Malintis Syndrome.

He took a deep breath, and turned back to the patient, who was gazing at him watchfully.

Kast pulled a chair over and sat down next to the terminal. He would of course record this for analysis later, but it was helpful to monitor the truth detection to help him in his questioning of the subject.

"What is your name?" he asked the subject, without looking at him.

"Kamton Palisti. What's yours? " 'Palisti' replied.

Kast nodded slightly. The detector indicated this was a lie.

He turned and stared at the man (he would think of him as Palisti, for now) directly, "I am Doctor Kast. And I need you to tell me your _real_ name."

Palisti shook his head.

"My name is Kamton Palisti," he repeatedly doggedly.

Kast sighed. He was a busy man and he could sense this patient was going to be difficult. He stood up and retrieved a syringe from another storage cube. He injected the truth drug into the patient's arm. (At least the patient didn't resist. That indicated some rationality.)

Kast went back to the terminal and entered in some more descriptive information about the patient. (There was something about his hand, wasn't there? No, that wasn't important.)

After five minutes, he turned back to the patient.

"What is your name?" Kast asked.

There was a pause, and then the patient shook his head, "I can't tell you my name."

Kast was impressed. Very few patients could resist the truth drug. He could try physical 'encouragement', but that probably wasn't necessary.

"Why can't you tell me?" he said, deliberately speaking in a soothing tone.

There was a long pause, while Palisti looked around the room.

Finally, he said softly, "If I tell you, he'll find me."

Palisti hid a smile. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Who will find you?" he continued in a tone suited for small children and timid narglatch cubs.

There was again a long pause.

"Do you promise you won't tell him?"

Palisti responded soothingly, "I won't tell anyone. I'm a doctor, and I'm here to care for you. There is nothing to fear."

Kast closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Finally, he spoke quickly, "My father. My father will find me if I tell you my name."

Kast hid a pleased smile. Step one completed.

"I promise you I won't tell your father," he continued, "Nor do you need to be afraid. He can't find you here and even if he did, I would not allow him to remove you from this facility while you still need care."

The patient (prisoner) gave a harsh chuckle.

"You couldn't stop him. He has more power than you can imagine and he'd tear this planet apart to find me."

Kast turned back to the terminal to allow his face time to smooth into neutral calmness. This was very interesting.

He typed a few notes into the terminal, then turned back deliberately.

"So you and your father are on poor terms?" he probed delicately.

Palisti looked down, a look of pain crossing his face.

"You could say that," he said softly.

"What is the source of the problem?" Kast continued.

Palisti looked straight at him.

"Why do you care? What does this have to do anything? Why are you asking me these questions? Do you think I'm crazy or something? My father is powerful and he's after me. I can't be found here by him."

Kast had had enough, "Who is your father?"

Palisti looked away. The long silence stretched for 2 long minutes.

Kast sighed, "Very well. We'll have to pull all your biological data and put it out on the medical and intelligence sites. We'll likely have your true name within 24 hours. You will not be allowed to leave before that. If indeed your father is as powerful as you say he is, you can expect him shortly after we establish your identity."

He stood up as if to leave, and the prisoner sat up and shifted frantically, straining against his bonds.

"No, don't do that!"

Kast stepped close and grabbed his prisoner's chin, forcing it up, "Then tell me your father's name. Now."

Another few seconds, and Palisti's eyes shifted down to avoid Kast's glare.

Then, "Darth Vader," he murmured.

Kast actually gasped. He had long schooled himself not to react to the most insane remarks of his patients, but this was one of the most surprising he'd ever heard.

"Lord Darth Vader is your father?" he restated carefully.

"Yes, he is," Palisti said intently, "And he wants to throw me in a cell, or he might even decide to just kill me. You won't tell him, will you?"

"No, I won't tell him," Kast responded automatically. He moved back over to the terminal. The truth monitors showed that the patient was telling the truth! Or his version of the truth, anyway. He glanced again at Palisti. This young man really, profoundly believed that Darth Vader was his father! He was filled with a sudden jolt of professional glee. This case would be the bulwark of his chapter on Malintis Sydrome.

Or perhaps not. He really couldn't mention Vader, could he? He didn't know much about the Dark Lord of the Sith, but everyone knew he was…touchy. He probably wouldn't appreciate his name being linked in any way with an insane migrant. Well, he'd just have to disguise the situation.

For now, he needed more information.

He turned back to Palisti.

"So, if Darth Vader is your father, who is your mother?"

Palisti looked down, "I don't have any idea. I was raised by a couple of farmers who said they didn't know who she was. I hope he loved her, but it seems more likely it was a fling. Hard to imagine him actually loving someone, isn't it?"

Yes, it was, Kast thought. How had this man come up with this bizarre scenario? Yes, this was symptomatic of Malintis, but why Vader? Why not someone with a more pleasant reputation? Obviously Palisti feared Vader. Was that the key?

"So, did you grow up with your father?" Kast asked carefully.

"No, of course not!" Palisti said with a disdainful look, "I told you that I was raised by a couple of farmers, and not wealthy ones. I called them my aunt and uncle, but I don't know if we were actually related. They are dead now. "

"But they told you Darth Vader was your father?" Kast persevered.

"No, they told me he was a navigator on a spice freighter who died before I was born! Obviously they just made up a story to placate my interest about him."

Doctor Kast considered quickly. This was at least symptomatic – a young man, orphaned, raised in what sounded like dreary circumstances. Obviously, at some point he had a break with reality and his psyche came up with Vader as a more exciting father, though again, why Vader? And why the persecution complex?

Kast looked again at the truth monitors. Everything was checking out. So far, this patient was telling what he believed to be true, except for his name.

He decided to do a quick test. He held up 2 fingers.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" he demanded.

Palisti looked at him incredulously, "Why are you asking me that? This is a waste of time!"

Kast sighed, "Listen, the longer you delay answering my questions, the longer it will take to process you and get you out of here. So just cooperate."

"2," Palisti replied sullenly.

"All right, this time, when I hold up my fingers, deliberately choose the wrong answer. So if I hold up 3, say 1 or 5 or something. Do you understand?"

The patient seemed moderately intelligent, but any man who imagined Darth Vader to be his father was obviously short a few power cells.

"I understand," Palisti huffed indignantly.

Kast held up 4 fingers.

"2," Palisti said resignedly.

Kast looked over at the truth monitor. The latter reply showed a clear lie, the former reply was the truth. So the truth monitor was indeed working. Wonderful.

"So, who told you Lord Vader is your father?" Kast continued.

Again, a painfully long pause. Finally Palisti said, "He did."

Kast blinked. The patient thought he had actually communicated directly with Lord Vader? Fascinating!

"And when was this?"

"About a year ago," Palisti said quietly.

"So how did it happen that you and he met? He is, as you said, a powerful man. Did he invite you to visit him?"

Kast kept a close eye on the truth sensor. Usually a patient with Malintis would show some uncertainty during close questioning like this. Most individuals knew subconsciously that their internal life story was false, though their conscious mind would reject the actual truth because the real truth was too painful for them to bear.

Palisti again looked pained, "He was … hosting…I guess you could say, some friends of mine. I was invited to come as well, and we talked then."

The truth monitor seemed a bit confused about this statement. It seemed to show both truth and falsehood in that statement. Likely a sign of Palisti's subconscious rejection of the story.

"So when you met, he told you he was your father…"

"No, first we fought. I loathed everything about him at the time. I didn't know he was my father. I hated his policies and his actions and everything he did. I had no idea…"

The patient's biometrics showed increased heart rate at this point.

Kast was delighted that he had cancelled all his appointments for the day. Palisti was the mental patient equivalent of finding tydirium ore in a dust heap. He apparently had successfully combined something (Hatred of authority, perhaps? What was that adoptive uncle like?) with his father hunger. Amazing.

"But eventually he told you that you were his son, is that correct?" Kast asked.

Again, Palisti looked away.

"Yes," he finally said in a subdued tone.

"And what did your…father…want you to do?"

Palisti sighed, "Oh, you know, join him. Work for him. Whatever you want to call it. Leave my misdirected life and do something grand and purposeful with my existence."

Kast lifted an eyebrow, "And what did you say?"

Palisti looked down and said quietly, "I said no."

"And why did you do that? He is, as you said, a powerful man – and a rich one. Why would you deny the opportunity to take your place at his side?"

Kast kept his gaze focused intently on his patient. This line of questioning likely would cause some kind of mental breakdown, as the obvious inconsistencies of the patient's internal story would eventually prove more than the insane mind could justify.

Palisti surprised him by looking surprised, "Are you serious? The man is a brutal tyrant. As far as I can tell, he hates or despises almost everyone and everything. He is responsible for the death of millions – not just his enemies but his own subordinates. He kills his own men, often for minor infractions. Everyone is terrified of him, including me. I knew that the only thing to do was to get as far away from him as possible, so I did."

Kast raised his eyebrows, "If your father is Darth Vader, I would think he wouldn't allow you to leave. How did you 'get away'?"

Palisti stared straight into his eyes, "That is not important."

Kast nodded in agreement, "That is not important."

It really wasn't important. Obviously any obdurate son of a truly powerful man, a man like Vader, would not be allowed to "get away." But he should focus on the psychiatrically interesting mixture of fear, longing, and hatred mixed up in this deranged young man.

And it was odd, in some ways, that he was deranged. He looked and spoke quite normally.

Fascinating!

"You said that Darth Vader hates everyone and everything," he said, changing the subject slightly, "So do you think he hates you?"

Palisti's hands clenched, and then relaxed, "I don't think he hates me, no. I think he despises me. Hatred, to me, sounds like the sort of thing between equals. I'm certainly not his equal. As far as I can tell, I'm a 25 year old mistake and a disappointment, since the life I live is far from what he expects. In his eyes, I'm a regrettable disgrace. But I suppose at some level, he feels obligated to deal with me, at least to avoid further embarrassment."

"Is that why you think he hasn't publicly claimed you as his son?" Kast continued.

Palisti's lips twisted bitterly, "Claim me? Of course he wouldn't do that. He has a reputation to consider, doesn't he? He's the second most powerful man in the galaxy. He's not going to admit to having fathered a failure like me. I don't know who my mother was, but it seems obvious that her well being wasn't nearly as important to him as his own thirst for power and position in the Galactic Empire. And the Emperor – Vader answers to him, and I'm sure the Emperor wouldn't be pleased if his second-in-command was publicly tied with someone like…me."

Kast nodded with fake sympathy, then turned to add some notes to his record. This was, at least, classic Malintis. The patient was coming up with a reasonable explanation for the fact that Darth Vader, the second most powerful individual in the galaxy, was known to have no children. If human children were even possible. He knew relatively little about Vader, and it wasn't clear there was even a human in that armor.

"Do you hate your … father?" Kast continued curiously. He would guess the answer was yes, as it seemed more and more likely that Palisti was projecting his hatred for the "uncle" who raised him (now a dead uncle, according to the patient) onto the broad and intimidating shoulders of Lord Darth Vader. Curious, but somewhat explainable.

Palisti leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment.

"No," he finally replied, "I hate what he does, I hate the choices he's made. But do I hate him? Of course not. I have always wanted to know my father, to be with him. I love him because he's my father. I always will love him."

The patient opened his eyes again and his mouth twisted slightly, "But I have to face the reality that there won't be any happy ending for me. I refuse to work with a tyrant, and he isn't likely to pay attention to the pathetic longings of a rebellious son. I guess that's just life, isn't it, Doctor? So I hide from him. Thus far, he hasn't found me but every day I wonder when he'll discover where I am."

Kast couldn't suppress a smile of delight. Palisti was indeed the patient (prisoner) of the decade. The strange moral platitudes mixed with a clear desire for a powerful father figure mixed with an underlying longing for importance through the patient's belief that one of the galaxy's most powerful figures was pursuing him.

The smile, though, seemed to trigger something in Palisti.

"Why are you smiling?" he suddenly demanded, "You said you'd let me go if I told you about my father. Aren't you going to let me go?"

Doctor Kast looked at the biomonitors. The truth drug was wearing off, and he had enough information from Palisti to write 2 or 3 research reports. Not that he would think of releasing the man.

He pushed a button, and 2 large and burly orderlies entered the room a minute later.

"Doctor?" one of them said.

Kast gestured at Palisti, "Escort the patient to Building Z for further examination. I will send the appropriate codes to your security badges."

Palisti's eyes widened, "But you said…"

Kast interrupted soothingly, "You still need further treatment, Palisti. I assure you, no harm will come to you and when you are mentally stabilized, we will release you. I am an experienced doctor, so you must trust me when I say that you aren't well enough to leave the hospital."

This did not placate Palisti. As soon as he was released from the restraints, he made a dive for the door. While this was not surprising, his subsequent struggle with the experienced orderlies was. Palisti was not tall, but he was amazingly strong and quickly landed such powerful punches that one of the orderlies was sent reeling.

Kast frantically hit the security button, and a minute later, six security men charged through the door. The room was full of seething, cursing men and two more men were thrown to the floor by the patient before they finally managed to restrain him enough to inject a hypospray into his neck. The patient struggled a few more moments before slumping, unconscious, to the floor.

Doctor Kast took a deep breath and straightened his clothing.

"Thank you," he said to the security officers.

Then he looked at the orderlies, "Take the patient to the highest security area of Building Z. I'll send the necessary security protocol to the guards there."

With a slight shake of his head, Doctor Kast turned off the recorder and left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

_Back to the present_

 _Conference room in the Pentz garrison, Champala_

 _Darth Vader looming._

 _Doctors and officers nervous._

The large screen in the conference room faded into black.

Doctors Kast and Gilanz, and the Imperial officers, waited with emotions ranging from nervousness to terror for Lord Darth Vader to speak.

But he did not. One minute passed. Then two. The Dark Lord continued to stare, as if mesmerized, at the now blank screen.

Finally, Lieutenant Commander Loftan broke the silence.

"Doctor Kast, I was checking the truth sensor data while watching the recording. He did indeed seem to be speaking the truth."

Doctor Kast relaxed minutely, "Indeed, Lieutenant Commander. Whoever he is, he was extraordinarily plausible."

Commander Binze spoke up, "Doctor, you did not pursue questioning about the patient's prosthetic right hand, and the method of his supposed 'escape' from Lord Vader," here he gave Vader a slight bow, "May I ask why?"

Kast shifted uncomfortably, "I…felt it was not important for the initial examination of the patient's mental state."

Binze tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, "A high grade prosthetic is not typical for an indigent, mentally unstable migrant, Doctor Kast. It was obviously vitally important. For you to ignore the issue incites suspicion of complicity with the Rebel spy. Or were you so excited about the prospect of a case of this 'Malintis Syndrome' that you ignored obvious indicators that the patient was not what he seemed? "

To the astonishment of everyone in the room, Darth Vader came to Kast's rescue.

"He used a Jedi mind trick," Vader said dismissively, "Doctor Kast is not at fault."

There was a gasp of shock from the officers, and a look of bewilderment from the doctors.

His aide stuttered the next question, "Do you know the identity of the Rebel agent, my Lord?"

"Luke Skywalker," Vader continued, matter-of-factly.

There was a collective gasp from the officers, and a look of uncomfortable bewilderment from the civilian doctors.

Binze's face took on the stunned immobility of a nerf about to meet its fate at the dinner table. Luke Skywalker had been on Champala, within his very grasp, and the Commander had let him slip away, and with Prince Listoff in tow.

"Listoff must have been very important," Vader's aide murmured in distress, "For the Rebellion to send Skywalker after him."

"Skywalker is noted for his self-sacrificing tendencies, and he is also extremely daring," Vader replied. His eyes were still fixed on the now dark screen, and he spoke almost absently, obviously in the throes of his own dark thoughts.

Doctor Gilanz, who had been notably silent, timidly spoke up, "I am sorry, my Lord, officers, but I have not heard of this Skywalker before."

Vader's aide glanced at his master, who remained silent, and then spoke up, "Skywalker is a Rebel, and he is the most wanted man in the galaxy. He fired the shot that destroyed the Death Star several years ago. He is a very accomplished pilot, obviously, but also has…unusual abilities, which is no doubt how he was able to fake the Malintis Syndrome. It was, even for him, an astonishingly bold and brazen path to take in rescuing Listoff."

Doctor Kast looked puzzled, "So these strange abilities you mentioned – they allowed him to provide false data via the biomonitors? Extraordinary. He showed that he was clearly lying on a couple of occasions. The degree of biofeedback control involved is certainly beyond anything I've ever read about or understood to be possible."

Loftan nodded, "I agree with you, Doctor. But nonetheless, there is no other explanation."

Vader suddenly turned away from the screen, causing all the men to fall silent and look nervously at him.

"On the contrary," he rumbled, "There is one other explanation. The simple one. And the correct one. Commander Luke Skywalker of the Rebel Alliance truly is my estranged son."

In the stunned silence that followed, the Dark Lord of the Sith turned on his heel and left the room.

Behind him, Commander Binze lost his battle with consciousness and slid gracelessly to the floor.

-…-…-…-…-…-…-…-…-…-…-

The corridors and rooms of the _Executor_ were more quiet than usual that night. The temper of Lord Darth Vader was always of keen interest to the men of his flagship. Tonight he had returned in a silent and, to the expert eyes of his admiral, somber mood. Without so much as a word to either his command staff or honor guard, he strode directly to his private chambers and locked himself in.

So the great ship hung in space over Champala, and the sentries stood at attention, and the guards quietly walked their beats. It was as if the entire ship was holding its breath.

And inside his hyperbaric chamber, an old man – old from injury and life choices, not age – removed his iconic black helmet and stared sightlessly at the walls for 20 long minutes. Then tentatively, even nervously, he accessed and activated the recording he had just watched a couple of hours before on the Imperial garrison on Champala.

The first time he had watched Luke on that screen on Champala, Darth Vader had been so stunned that many of Luke's words had flowed over him like water over an immovable rock. He caught words here and phrases there, but the longing that clutched at his heart made it hard for him to process what his son was saying. His son, even with his hair dyed dark and cut short, was so handsome, so real, so _Luke_ , that an irrational part of Vader felt he could just reach up into the screen and pull him out. The Dark Lord would give anything in the world to have his son in his protective custody. But once again, Luke had slipped through his grasp. This usually brought rage, but tonight he felt sorrow and a strange sense of despair.

He knew that he could in fact trust the biometrics. While the Force allowed a skilled user to conceal lies, he knew from his analysis of his son's personality and abilities that Luke was not an adept liar. Nor was there any point in lying. Luke had obviously decided to use their relationship to fake Malintis Syndrome to get to Prince Listoff. Oddly enough, Vader realized he wasn't angry about his son's decision to exploit their connection. It had been a daring and bold plan, and it had succeeded thanks to a psychiatrist who (legitimately enough) had never considered that his patient was telling the truth.

While watching the recording the first time, he had realized that Luke's view of their relationship was counter to almost everything Vader thought of their father-son connection. He needed to analyze what Luke believed to determine how to proceed, though he did so with a strange dread in his heart.

With a slight shake of his scarred head, he started the recording again.

 _"…_ _he wants to throw me in a cell, or he might even decide to just kill me…"_

Did Luke really think Vader might kill him upon capture? He had worked so hard to make sure that his son, upon arrest, would not be harmed. Wasn't that clear from the 'Alive Only' bounty on Luke's head? And while his son was no doubt angry about his friends' treatment at Bespin, the whole point of the carbon freeze of Solo was to ensure that Skywalker would be safe. It was true that Vader had subsequently lost control of the situation when Luke evaded his trap, and…yes, he could easily have killed his son when he knocked Luke through that window. He had thanked the Force many times that his son had managed to grab onto a metal strut and pull himself up. Though Luke had survived essentially the same fall when he had stepped off the gantry as the end of their confrontation.

Again, the rejection from his son burrowed into his heart. And this time, there was additional pain involved.

 _"_ _Who is your father?"_

 _"_ _Darth Vader"_

For the last year, Darth Vader had clung to the hope that if Luke accepted the truth, their adversarial relationship would end. He believed that with the true knowledge of his father's beliefs and position in the galaxy, the son would turn away from his devotion to the weak Light and embrace the power of the Darkness so that they could rule together. Vader knew from interviews with various individuals who knew his son on Tatooine that Luke had always longed for his father. (And whose fault was it that he had been denied? Kenobi's!) But now it was obvious that Luke had accepted the truth, and yet was still determined to adhere to the Jedi ways. His obvious longing for a relationship with his father was not enough.

This brought up other dark memories, of the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, with grief on a face shaded red by the fires of Mustafar.

 _"_ _Anakin, you're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow."_

Padme…

 _"_ _So, if Darth Vader is your father, who is your mother?"_

 _"_ _I don't have any idea. I was raised by a couple of farmers who said they didn't know who she was. I hope he loved her, but it seems more likely it was a fling. Hard to imagine him actually loving someone, isn't it?"_

How could his son know _nothing_ about Padme? How could Obi-wan have avoided telling Luke about her? How terrible, how devastating that Luke knew absolutely nothing about his mother, about her beauty and her spirit and her strength and her courage. About his father's true love for her. Yes, he had loved Padme with every fiber of his being. He would have traded the entire galaxy, everything for her.

And yet…

 _The look of terror on her face as he attacked her, as he choked her in his rage at her perceived betrayal. He could have killed her then. He thought for 20 years that indeed he had destroyed her, and the child in her._

In a rush, the guilt of the decades descended on the mind and spirit of Darth Vader. He found himself, to his shock, bowed over, prosthetic hands over scarred face, shuddering from tearless sobs.


	5. Chapter 5

_15 minutes later_

Alarms from his suit pulled Darth Vader out of the pit of his own despair and self-hatred. Even in the highly oxygenated environment of his hyperbaric chamber, his body was too damaged to maintain appropriate blood gas levels when he was in the depths of a major emotional crisis. During battle or intense physical activity, he automatically used the Dark Side to keep his body stable. But he was not able to utilize the Dark Side the same way when he battled guilt and grief. It was an area of weakness that his master had long sought to eradicate.

His mind went back to that first decade after Padme's death. Every year, he would struggle with grief and despair on her Life Day and the anniversary of her death – and the latter coincided with Empire Day festivities. His master had punished him in a variety of ways, first with verbal chastisement and additional unpleasant duties. The last time Vader had succumbed to grief, Palpatine had summoned him and barraged him with Force Lightening in punishment for his 'defect' of still harboring feelings for his dead wife.

After that agonizing experience, Vader had learned to stoke the fires of the Dark Side to keep his emotional breakdowns at bay. He woke up on those days in the blackest of moods and sought reasons to become enraged. The method had worked, and he had not broken down over Padme in 14 years. Until today.

He forced himself to sit back and, with the greatest of efforts, calmed himself. He would do no good to himself, or his son, if he didn't stop this. The past was the past. He could not bring Padme back. But Luke still lived, and Vader needed to decide how best to protect his son.

With renewed determination, he found the place in the recording where he had previously broken down.

 _"_ _And why did you do that? He is, as you said, a powerful man – and a rich one. Why would you deny the opportunity to take your place at his side?"_

 _"_ _Are you serious? The man is a brutal tyrant. As far as I can tell, he hates or despises almost everyone and everything. He is responsible for the death of millions – not just his enemies but his own subordinates. He kills his own men, often for minor infractions. Everyone is terrified of him, including me. I knew that the only thing to do was to get as far away from him as possible, so I did."_

What to make of this? First, Luke said he was terrified of him. That was not surprising and, rationally, probably a good thing. While he knew his son to be stubborn, surely fear would help Luke realize that to oppose his father was foolish?

And yet, he was aware of a thread of sadness as well. Back when Padme had announced her pregnancy, Vader (then Anakin Skywalker) had never envisioned a relationship with his child built on fear.

He shook his head. That was long ago, the life of another, weaker man.

Why the comment about his own men? Of course he killed his own men. Fear of 'permanent' punishment was the best way to ensure that his men put forth their best effort.

(And yet, his son had apparently inspired devotion from his own men by friendship and loyalty. He knew that from interrogations of captured Rebels, plus analysis of Rogue Squadrons truly impressive achievements. Well, Luke had probably inherited Padme's charm. He himself had always been more arrogant than charming.)

 _"_ _You said that Darth Vader hates everyone and everything. So do you think he hates you?"_

 _"_ _I don't think he hates me, no. I think he despises me. Hatred, to me, sounds like the sort of thing between equals. I'm certainly not his equal. As far as I can tell, I'm a 25 year old mistake and a disappointment, since the life I live is far from what he expects. In his eyes, I'm a regrettable disgrace. But I suppose at some level, he feels obligated to deal with me, at least to avoid further embarrassment."_

Vader cringed at those words even as he paused the recording. Did Luke really believe that Vader despised him? How could he think that? He was so very proud of Luke! To have wasted away on that despised desert planet for 19 years and then have the courage and ability to strike a blow at the heart of the Empire by destroying the Death Star. Admittedly, that blow had resulted in punishment for Vader at Palpatine's hands, and had been a serious setback for the Empire. But his son had done the impossible. He still remembered his shock in discovering the name of the pilot who had destroyed the Planet Destroyer – shock that was quickly followed by pride. And how he had shielded his emotions to keep the Emperor from recognizing that pride!

And Bespin. While outclassed, his son had refused to give up in the lopsided fight against his unknown father. For all that Vader wished he had managed to capture his son in carbon freeze, he was nonetheless amazed and impressed at Luke's creativity and ability to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances. And when in the end Vader had disabled his son, Luke still had refused to surrender to what seemed the inevitable. Even when Vader had held out the promise of power and a position at his father's side, Luke had the resolution to refuse, to leap to his apparent death rather than give in. He was admittedly very frustrated by his son's determination, but he certainly didn't _despise_ Luke's strength of purpose.

 _"_ _Is that why you think he hasn't publicly claimed you as his son?"_

 _"_ _Claim me? Of course he wouldn't do that. He has a reputation to consider, doesn't he? He's the second most powerful man in the galaxy. He's not going to admit to having fathered a failure like me. I don't know who my mother was, but it seems obvious that her well being wasn't nearly as important to him as his own thirst for power and position in the Galactic Empire. And the Emperor – Vader answers to him, and I'm sure the Emperor wouldn't be pleased if his second-in-command was publicly tied with someone like…me."_

It wasn't that at all! Vader had concealed their relationship to protect _Luke_! War hero or not, Luke might be in danger from the Rebel leadership if it was discovered that he was the progeny of one of the Rebellion's greatest enemies. It wouldn't be out of the question for Luke to be executed for his father's sins. Well, he really didn't think that would happen – his son was venerated by the Rebel masses. What was more likely was that, perhaps subconsciously, Rebel High Command would start assigning even more dangerous missions to his son in the hope that he would fail. This mission to rescue Prince Listoff had been incredibly dangerous. What were the Rebel leaders thinking to risk their most vital member to save an aging aristocrat?

But, if he were to be honest with himself, it was true that claiming Luke as his son would prove - awkward. Would his absolute authority over Imperial troops break down if it was widely known that he couldn't control his own son? In any case, Palpatine had forbidden announcing their biological relationship until Luke was safely turned to the Dark Side.

And he had just told those doctors and officers on Champala. He would need to silence them.

 _He kills his own men, often for minor infractions._

Vader sighed. Perhaps Dr. Kast deserved death for roughly handling his son, and Commander Binze too – for gross incompetence. But Lieutenant Commander Loftan? His aide?

He would just warn them to be silent. They would not betray him, for their own sakes if not his.

He started the recording running again.

 _"_ _Do you hate your … father?"_

 _"_ _No. I hate what he does, I hate the choices he's made. But do I hate him? Of course not. I have always wanted to know my father, to be with him. I love him because he's my father. I always will love him._

 _"_ _But I have to face the reality that there won't be any happy ending for me. I refuse to work with a tyrant, and he isn't likely to pay attention to the pathetic longings of a rebellious son."_

The first time he had watched this section of the recording, his brain had apparently been in overload because he didn't remember this at all.

 _"_ _I love him because he's my father. I always will love him"_

Luke _loved_ him? Loved the man whose decisions had effectively left Luke an orphan? Whose orders concerning the Death Star plans had resulted in the deaths of Owen and Beru Lars, the only family Luke had ever known? Who had tortured his best friends and cut off his hand? Who had hunted Luke across the galaxy so that few spaceports were safe and every bounty hunter knew his name?

 _Loved him?_

This time, he actually felt moisture gather in his eyes, in spite of the damage to his tear ducts.

His son loved him.

He forced himself to sit back and take a deep breath.

The question was what to do about it.

He could attempt to exploit his son's love, even as he had attempted to use their relationship at Bespin to turn his son to the Dark Side.

His mind went back to something else Luke had said in his interview with Doctor Kast.

 _"_ _I don't know who my mother was, but it seems obvious that her well being wasn't nearly as important to him as his own thirst for power and position in the Galactic Empire."_

Again, he wanted to curse Kenobi. Kenobi knew that Vader had loved Luke's mother. By telling their son _nothing_ , Luke was under the mistaken impression that Vader's desire for personal gain and dominion had fueled his turn to the Dark Side. But it had all been for Padme. Palpatine had promised him that the Dark Side was the key to saving her…

And in reality, Anakin Skywalker's turn to the Dark Side had killed her. He realized that now.

He clenched his fists. How he _hated_ his master. Hated him for pretending to be his friend long ago, when he was a padawan. Hated him for manipulating him into pledging his allegiance to Palpatine. Yes, the Dark Side gave him great power, but he was still a slave, and to a brutal and manipulative master. He had not made the decision to turn with a clear understanding of the ramifications. He believed that he would be able to save Padme and the child, and together they would rule.

Instead, he sat in his meditation chamber alone, a physically broken man, dependent on life support machines to take every breath when he was outside of this place. Separated from his only child.

He sighed deeply. The problems seemed insurmountable. If he captured Luke, he would be forced to take him to the Emperor. If Luke refused to turn, Palpatine would kill him. If Luke did turn, Palpatine would train Skywalker personally to ensure that Luke's loyalty was divided between his father and his master.

He gazed at the recording again, now frozen to show Luke staring straight at the device. He felt a sudden pang in his chest. How could he even consider turning his boy over to that autocrat? He knew the Emperor well enough to know that his master would delight in stamping out all that was vibrant and pure in Luke. Luke would become a shadow of who he was.

Even as he himself was only a shadow of Anakin Skywalker.

If only he could kill Palpatine. He had wanted to kill that wrinkled despot for a clear decade now. But he couldn't. Not alone. He couldn't kill the Emperor without Luke, and the Emperor would ensure that Luke would not join with his father against him.

It was a pity, really, that the Rebellion wasn't stronger. If it became a true powerhouse, if major Imperial strongholds were under attack, if the Emperor's focus was divided…

His thoughts ran ahead, then stopped in shock, then circled around again.

 _"_ _I don't know who my mother was, but it seems obvious that her well being wasn't nearly as important to him as his own thirst for power and position in the Galactic Empire."_

All along, he had been thinking in terms of Luke _and_ the Galactic Throne. He wanted to be Emperor. He wanted the power that he felt had long been denied him.

But back when he had dreamt of Padme's death in childbirth, he would have gladly traded in all the power in the galaxy to save her. He was ambitious in those days, yes, but Padme came first.

What had changed? Why was his first priority on his own personal power? Why not Luke? Was he willing to make major sacrifices to save his son? To kill the Monster that was his master? To trust that once Palpatine was gone, he could pick up the pieces of the Empire and mold them to his will?

It was a ridiculous thought. If the Empire was weakened by a successful Rebel onslaught, Vader might never be able to pull the pieces back together and fulfill his desire to rule.

But Luke would be safe from Palpatine.

He would ponder this more. He wasn't making any decisions yet. But he would at least think about it.

A smile curled his mouth, and the smile was far more Anakin Skywalker than Darth Vader.

 _Author note: Many many thanks to those of you reading and reviewing this fanfic! I appreciate the kind comments. I had the plot mapped out through Chapter 5 and now I'm not sure entirely where I will go with it, so likely the insane 1 chapter a day thing will cease :-). But I promise to keep plugging away at it. Again, thanks!_


	6. Chapter 6

_2 months later_

The soft twitter of R2-D2 penetrated the consciousness of Luke Skywalker. Groggily, like a man swimming from the bottom of a lake, he pulled himself into consciousness.

Ugghhh, that taste in his mouth. And that tingling in his feet and hand (not the cybernetic one, thankfully.) Was this normal for Jedi hibernation trances? Master Yoda hadn't warned him about any unpleasant side effects of hibernation trances, so maybe he was doing something wrong.

But then again, Yoda hadn't warned him about quite a few things.

Luke shook his head to clear it more, and looked over his instrumentation. Two hours until he would reach his unknown destination and all looked well. He was returning from a mission to a small Rebel cell on the planet Jakku. It had been a success, and had been almost relaxing compared to his previous five missions. He knew that his superiors were concerned that he was pushing himself too hard, taking too many risks. His own sister had taken him to task after the rescue of Prince Listoff. That had been a dangerous mission, but he had been near enough to get to Champala quickly, and had thought he could pull it off. And indeed he had, by using his relationship with Darth Vader to bluff his way into the hospital where Listoff was being held.

Luke Skywalker ran a weary hand over his face. Darth Vader. His father.

He had deliberately chosen to wake up a couple of hours before arrival so he could think about his father. His natural tendency, in the middle of a hectic and stressful life, was to avoid contemplating the deep rooted problems surrounding the menacing figure of Darth Vader. Obi-wan and Yoda wanted him to kill his father but he knew he could not do that. He knew that if he destroyed his father, he would turn to the Dark. Maybe another man, a better man, could kill his own father for the good of the galaxy, but he could not. He loved his father, in spite of all their differences, in spite of all of his father's evil. Love didn't mean like. He disliked his father intensely. But he couldn't kill the man who had brought him life. And indeed, he felt some sympathy, and a strong connection, with the man in the mask.

He sighed. But was the feeling of connection entirely on his side? Did his father care at all about Luke, as a person? Or was he merely a potential tool?

Luke remembered Lando Calrissian's account of a conversation that took place in the carbon freezing chamber of Cloud City.

 _"_ _Lord Vader, we only use this facility for carbon freezing. You put him in there it might kill him!"_

 _"_ _I don't wish the Emperor's prize to be damaged. We'll test it first, on Captain Solo."_

Luke shuddered a little. Was that all he was? A prize? A gift from Vader to Vader's even darker master?

And yet…when he had stood on that gantry, filled with horror at Vader's words, he had sensed real longing on Vader's part. His father's words had been almost … frantic…with desire for his son's allegiance. And later, during that brief conversation while Luke was on the _Millenium Falcon_ and Vader was on his flagship – again, Luke had sensed a hunger for a more intimate connection than that of master and slave.

Yoda himself had been surprised that Vader had told Luke about their familial relationship. Was it really just manipulation, or did Vader truly long for his son as a _son_?

Master Yoda and Obi-wan Kenobi thought not. They both made it completely clear that Vader was lost to the Dark, lost to all good.

 _"_ _He's more machine now than man, twisted and evil."_

But they hadn't been right about everything. Luke knew that neither had expected Luke to return to Dagobah after the confrontation at Cloud City. Both had expected him to either die or give in to the Dark Side.

On the other hand, Luke knew that his longing for his father might be blinding his ability to see the situation clearly. He remembered the sorrow of his early years on Tatooine, teased by his classmates and friends for being an orphan with no direct knowledge of his parents. He knew his incessant questions to Owen and Beru Lars had pushed them into making up the comfortable fantasy of the spice freighter navigator who perished in an unfortunate accident.

Even that, he remembered, had inspired him. His father had flown the stars!

He was an adult, and a near Jedi at least, but was he still succumbing to the forlorn hopes of the child on Tatooine?

His mind went back and forth on this topic, and his hopes and fears rose and sank depending on the day. This was definitely not the peace and calm of the Jedi way, but so far Luke hadn't achieved any level of equanimity.

He could give up any hope that his father could turn back, and some days he almost did. He remembered, with a wry smile, that his interview with that doctor on Champala had been one of his discouraged days. His depressed mutterings about his relationship with his father had convinced the psychiatrist that he was indeed suffering from Malintis Syndrome, which was of course Luke's goal.

Luke chuckled aloud grimly. He remembered coming across the concept of Malintis Syndrome after finding out the truth about Vader. As a child, he had just longed for a father, and it had never crossed his mind that his sire might in any way be involved in galactic affairs.

Then, he found out his father was Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight.

Who became Darth Vader. Who was the second most powerful man in the galaxy. Who was hunting his son incessantly. Who had tortured his (unknown) daughter. Who had deliberately cut off his own son's hand.

He didn't have Malintis Syndrome. He was living the real life counterpart to Malintis Syndrome!

He was surprised, at times, that both he and Leia were (mostly) sane. He and his sister had joked, with dark humor, that both really needed extensive psychotherapy, but they thought the psychotherapist might go mad after dealing with either or both of the Skywalker twins.

And Leia - his wonderful, headstrong, stubborn, beautiful twin. Above all else, he must keep Leia safe from both Sith Lords. She didn't have any Force training and, if he was honest with himself, her personality was perhaps more prone to the Dark Side than his. Maybe that was why they chose him to train, instead of her? Leia was brilliant and strong, and he was occasionally surprised that Kenobi's focus had been on himself.

Luke sighed again, and R2-D2 twittered comfortingly. Luke smiled. He was thankful for his little droid, who gave him both sympathy and encouragement when his own thoughts pulled him towards despair.

A soft beeping interrupted any further cogitation. He was almost ready to drop out of hyperspace. He glanced again at the message from Leia, which had arrived encoded right before he left Jakku.

 _We're changing the location of the meeting. Big things happening. Big surprise! Last visit went well. I'm not just another pretty face, you know. With love._

The coordinates had followed, instructing him to meet up with Leia at a truly bizarre set of coordinates, out in deep space between Yavin and Mandalore. He was confident that they were from Leia, though, as she had included in her message the little inside joke about the "pretty face". He had been the witness to a remarkable contest between Leia and Rogue Squadron, after some of the bolder men had interpreted Leia's romance with Han Solo as permission to treat her less like a Princess and more like a little sister. Wes Janson had made a comment about Leia being just a pretty face, whereupon Leia had challenged the entire squadron to a precision blasting contest. She had beaten them all handily, to their awe and chagrin.

Luke twisted his neck and moved his shoulders. He had been sent a specific flight plan to avoid hyperspace problems, but had chosen to use his Jedi skills to route a faster path. It had still been a long trip, and he felt grimy and very ready to be out of both his flight suit and his X-wing.

The proximity alarm sounded, and Luke Skywalker dropped out of hyperspace.

His first feeling was one of shock and unadulterated terror. There, looming in the near distance, was the Super Star Destroyer _Executor_.


	7. Chapter 7

For one panicked moment, Luke considered jumping back into hyperspace without plotting a destination, a move known among experienced pilots as "the jump to end all jumps."

He then gave himself a mental slap. What kind of Jedi was he, to give way to fear so easily? He forced himself to reach out with both his eyes and his Force senses to assess the situation.

The _Executor_ was surrounded by at least ten Rebel ships, and all was peaceful! And when he probed the mammoth ship, he could tell there were very few men on board, certainly not the tens of thousands usually staffing her.

There was also no fear in the crews of the Rebel ships.

Had the Alliance captured the _Executor_?

And if so, where was her fearsome commander?

Without a doubt, Darth Vader was nowhere nearby. His powerful presence was like a black hole in the Force. Luke would have sensed him instantly.

Interrupting his thoughts was an Alliance sentry ship, which hailed him on a basic security frequency.

"Alliance ship, please identify."

Luke transmitted his clearance codes, even while stretching out his senses. Leia was on one of the nearby ships! He felt a jolt of surprise, then joy in her heart and for a moment, their spirits touched. He could tell she was calm, at peace, certainly not a prisoner or in any kind of distress.

This was presumably her "surprise", and he would have words with her! He needed a little more warning than that, sister dear!

His musings were interrupted by the response of the Alliance sentry, who welcomed him back and instructed him to land in one of the Mon Calamari ships hovering near the _Executor_.

Luke obeyed, and found himself flying, somewhat in a daze, past the super star destroyer's apparently endless bulk. He had seen her once before, in space outside of Bespin as they made their escape. He had been in mental, emotional, and physical shock at the time, and his only thought at the time was that she was big.

But big was not the right word. She was absolutely enormous. Mammoth. Gargantuan.

R2D2 whistled worriedly, and he responded reassuringly, "It's Ok, R2. Leia is nearby and all is well."

He expertly banked his ship and he landed in a hanger bay of the Mon Calamari ship.

Standing in the hanger bay were Luke's favorite people in the entire universe: his sister Leia, her de facto fiancé Han Solo, the Wookie Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian. Luke smiled slightly as he finished his power down sequence. Han had been understandably angry at Calrissian for his betrayal at Bespin, but hibernation sickness had not allowed for a rapid resolution to his 'interpersonal problem' with Lando, as Calrissian put it. Luke had been visiting Yoda when Han had recovered enough to throw a few punches, and Leia had given her brother a humorous play by play of the brawl that ensued in the Falcon's main cabin. At the end, both Calrissian and Solo were sporting black eyes and a few bruises, and all was forgiven.

And while Calrissian was a gambler and scoundrel, he and Luke had managed to forge a surprisingly strong friendship since the crisis at Bespin – in spite of the inherent differences between the suave businessman and the farmboy Jedi. Both had suffered mightily at the hands of the Empire in general, and Darth Vader in particular. Luke knew more than most how hard, almost impossible, it was to refuse Lord Vader. Lando hadn't had a chance.

Luke unclipped his flight harness and opened the X-wing hatch as quickly as possible, then, disdaining the ladder, jumped to the floor with enthusiasm. His sister, with a smile of delight on her face, hurled herself into his arms. He spun her around, then hugged Solo as well. For one brief moment, he remembered a similar group hug after the destruction of the Death Star.

Life had been simpler in those days. Not easy. Both he and Leia had lost adoptive family and homes right before the Battle of Yavin. But neither had known then of their dark familial legacy.

Leia interrupted his musings by sniffing his flight suit and making a face.

He laughed, "I've been in that X-wing too long, definitely! I obviously need to know why that behemoth is hanging out there in space, but do I have time to go for a sonic shower and change?"

Leia pursed her lips, then nodded, "Yes, but let's make it quick, Luke. Alliance High Command is frothing at its collective mouth in their eagerness to talk to you. We apparently need you, or to be exact, your retina, to figure out what is going on."

"Um, what?" Luke said in bewilderment.

She pulled gently on his arm.

"Come on and I'll explain after you clean up."

Luke followed her rapidly as she marched out of the hanger bay. Solo, Calrissian, and Chewbacca followed, while C-3PO stayed behind to catch up with R2.

She guided the group to a door, then opened it by placing her palm on the security pad. The group moved into medium sized common room, shaded in numerous colors of blue and green, with a small kitchenette at one end. Numerous doors opened off of it. Luke was familiar with the design of Mon Calamari ships, and guessed that off this area were 4 small bedrooms, and a refresher. Given the different sleep and ablution needs of the various species on such a ship as this, these rooms were no doubt set up for humans (or near humans) as opposed to the aquatic Mon Calamari.

Leia shooed her brother into the refresher, even while promising to throw in some new clothes for him. Luke intended to be quick, but when he stepped into the shower he discovered that it was a water, rather than sonic, shower!

Oh, those blessed Mon Calamari.

He spent a full ten minutes relishing in the clean liquid that carried away the accumulated dirt and sweat of numerous hours in the desert of Jakku and in his X-wing.

His personal idea of paradise definitely included a shower with a limitless amount of water.

After ten minutes, military discipline kicked in and he reluctantly turned off the water and quickly dressed in the black clothes that Leia had hurled in at some point.

He emerged into the common area to find Han and Chewbacca lounging on chairs. Chewie looked slightly absurd, as the furniture was not meant for a sentient of his stature. Both were holding drinks in hand.

Leia was on a nearby sofa, but jumped up to give her brother another hug. She then ran a hand through his still wet hair.

"Your hair is growing out," she said with a smile.

It was, though it was still quite short. He had shaved himself nearly bald after the Champala mission, when he had dyed his hair very dark brown as a simple disguise. The agreement among all Alliance personnel was that bald was not Luke's best look.

Luke grinned at her, grabbed a drink of water from the kitchenette, and flopped onto a chair.

"Ok, guys, tell me what is going on."

"Everything all right, Lando?" Leia asked.

Luke noticed, belatedly, that Calrissian was carefully scanning the room, obviously for listening devices. Luke quirked an inquiring eyebrow at Leia.

"We need to know this conversation is private," she responded simply.

Lando completed his sweep.

"All clear. I'll catch up with you later," he said, and swept somewhat dramatically out of the room. Luke smiled inwardly. Lando would probably look debonair in a garbage compactor.

As soon as the door was shut and locked behind them, Leia turned and looked directly at her brother.

"Wedge Antilles was captured by the Empire two weeks ago, Luke," she said gravely, "Did you hear that?"

Fear clutched at Luke's heart, "No."

Wedge! He was one of Luke's closer friends, and the leader of Rogue Squadron now that Luke's Jedi duties took him elsewhere on a frequent basis. And Vader might know that he and Wedge were comrades…

Leia looked contrite and spoke quickly.

"He's back here now," she said reassuringly, "Though he's confined to quarters, along with many others, to ensure that there aren't any security concerns."

"How did he escape?" Luke asked, puzzled.

Leia shook her head, "He didn't. Vader let him go."

Luke opened his mouth to speak, but his sister forestalled him, "Let me explain the situation as simply as possible, Luke. About a week ago, we received a coded message from Wedge, saying that he, and a group of other Rebel prisoners, had taken control of the _Executor_. We were naturally very suspicious, _extremely_ suspicious, but the message included the proper security codes so we sent some droids in ships to the coordinates Wedge provided.

"The droids found the _Executor_ hanging in deep space, manned with a skeleton crew consisting of a lone Imperial admiral, a bunch of technicians who said they had Alliance leanings, and exactly 413 Rebel prisoners who had been captured by the Empire over the last 6 months. Antilles was one of them. We followed up with a small task force, which landed on the Executor and interviewed Antilles and the others. Their story was at least consistent among most of them, that Vader had appeared on a prison planet where they were being used as slave labor and had them all transferred aboard the _Executor_.

"Wedge was a bit different. He was captured and held for a few days without, oddly enough, being interrogated."

While Leia's expression didn't change, Luke sensed a twinge of anguish as she remembered her own torture at the hands of the Empire.

"Wedge was eventually transferred by shuttle to a prison cell on the _Executor_. After a few anxious hours, the door opened and Vader entered his cell."

Again, Luke sensed his sister's distress. A couple of years ago, en route to a Rebel base, she and Han and Luke had found themselves in the main meeting area of the _Millennium Falcon_ one night, unable to sleep due to the adrenaline high following a successful mission. Leia had opened up that night, pouring out the full details of her torture at Vader's hands, starting with the door of her Death Star cell opening and Vader stepping in with the interrogation droid hovering behind him. It had broken Luke's heart that his precious friend had suffered so at Vader's hands.

And that was before he knew she was his sister. And Vader his father.

Leia took a deep breath, "Vader told Wedge that he knew you two were friends. He told Wedge that he would be released soon, and Vader instructed him to bring a droid to you with a message – a message that requires your retinal scan to open. Vader then disappeared, leaving the droid with Antilles. A few hours later, all the cell doors opened automatically and when the prisoners timidly emerged, the ship was nearly deserted. As I said, there were a few technicians running the ship, but mostly the _Executor_ was on autopilot. Our task force did as thorough as scan as they could on that monster, and they don't think the ship has any beacons on it. Though really, it is so big we can't be sure. We have charges on the main power core so that if the ship suddenly moves through some kind of slave circuit, we should be able to destroy it.

"The task force and the technicians brought the _Executor_ here, and Alliance High Command and a group of technicians and staff also arrived here to take charge of her. As you may have sensed, there are hyperspace abnormalities nearby which will make it challenging for Imperial ships to drop in on us without the predetermined route."

Luke shook his head uneasily, "It seems risky."

"Do you sense anything, Luke? Do you sense this is a trap?" his sister responded anxiously.

Luke looked at her with a fond smile. He knew that she trusted him and his abilities, really more than he trusted himself. Could he even tell if it was a trap?

He might as well try.

He leaned back and closed his eyes. He sensed both Han and Chewie quieting themselves, which in its own way was even more touching than Leia's faith in him. Han had long been a skeptic of the existence of the Force, though Luke knew that the past years had made him into a reluctant believer. Still, he knew it was hard for his old friend to accept that the naïve farmboy of 4 years ago was now a fledgling Jedi, with Force powers to match.

Carefully, Luke stretched out into the Force. He reached out to the _Executor_ , to the men on board it, to the void surrounding the former Imperial ship and the Rebel ships surrounding it.

And felt peace. There was no danger surrounding the vast behemoth of Super Star Destroyer, as far as he could tell anyway.

He stretched out farther, and forced himself to relax.

The fabric of the Force felt … different. He frowned. Something seemed to be shifting.

Master Yoda would have understood it, no doubt. He was merely confused.

At any rate, he felt safe right now. Almost protected in some new way.

He opened his eyes and sat up.

"I don't sense any danger," he said, "so for now I think we're all right."

Leia heaved a sigh of relief, then continued, "The admiral in charge, positively identified as Admiral Firmus Piett of the _Executor_ , is locked up in one of our cells here, and he also refuses to talk to anyone but you. So you, my dear, are the apparent key to the entire mystery, and High Command wants to talk to you, preferably a few days ago."

Luke shook his head in dismay, "You realize…"

Leia nodded, "I know. There is a good chance that Vader says something in the message about you being his son. I've thought a lot about this, Luke. Especially given what you did on Champala with that Malintis Syndrome trick, it's going to come out. I think it would be better for you to openly acknowledge it than to have it appear that you've been hiding it."

"I have been hiding it."

"I know," she said, "But now…it's time. Whether we're ready or not."

Luke shook his head, not in disagreement but in concern, "I really don't know how High Command will react."

Leia's expression grew fierce, "If anyone gives you a hard time, I'll tell them I'm your sister and also the offspring of that…monster."

"Absolutely not!" Luke and Han said simultaneously.

Leia looked, if possible, even more mutinous.

Luke spoke up quickly, "Leia, I appreciate your willingness to stand with me, but you absolutely must remain a secret. Vader doesn't know about you. The Emperor doesn't know about you. If they did, they would start hunting you, or possibly would put out an assassination order."

Leia looked distressed, and Solo sat up with a disturbed look on his face.

"Luke," his sister said after a long pause, "We don't even know that I'm a strong Force sensitive. It doesn't follow that all of…Anakin Skywalker's offspring would necessarily be strong in the Force."

(He noticed she couldn't say Vader's offspring. This was even harder for her than him.)

He reached out a gentle, loving, and sympathetic hand and laid it on Leia's knee, even as Han moved over to sit next to her on the couch and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Luke spoke gently, "Leia, you are very strong with the Force. As strong as I am, though I suspect our gifting manifests itself in different ways. I am a gifted pilot and fighter. You are an amazing diplomat and leader, and I know your Force sensitivity gives you an edge that seems natural to you, but is actually remarkable. You also shield your Force presence incredibly well, whereas Yoda told me more than once that my Force presence was about a subtle as a Rancor at the Coruscanti opera. Not a compliment, I assure you."

She smiled a little at this, but he still sensed her distress at leaving him to face the potential wrath of the High Command on his own.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Han said firmly, "They give the kid a hard time, and Chewie here will pull their arms off."

Luke chuckled, even as Chewbacce roared in agreement.

Leia's datapad beeped, and she picked it up to read a message.

She looked up, "High Command wants us in the main meeting room, now."

 _Author Note: I know, that was mean! You want Vader and Luke to meet! I don't blame you. It is coming, and fairly soon. I tend to think I'll be somewhere in the plot in a couple of chapters, and then it stretches out because I write write write. But I really think 2 or 3 more chapters and they will finally cross paths._


	8. Chapter 8

Alliance High Command had summoned them to one of the smaller conference rooms in the Mon Calamari ship. Leia walked into the room, head held high, followed by Han, Luke, and Chewbacca.

Luke noted the relief in the Force sense of High Command as he stepped into the room. Leia was right, they really wanted to know what was going on.

He did too.

Leia stepped forward to greet Mon Mothma, the acknowledged head of the Rebel Alliance. Next to her stood Carlist Rieekan, an Alderaanian general who had been a long time friend of Leia's father, Bail Organa. Rieekan had adopted a paternal attitude toward Leia after the destruction of Alderaan, and Luke knew that Leia trusted him implicitly.

Admiral Ackbar, the Mon Calamari leader of the Alliance capital ships, stood slightly behind Mothma. While Luke was not adept at touching Mon Calamari minds, he could sense grave interest and concern from the Admiral.

Crix Madine was seated in one of the conference room chairs, reading a datapad. Luke was momentarily surprised, as Madine was in charge of covert actions, not gigantic Star Destroyers that had dropped into the Alliance's collective lap. But like everyone else, he probably felt he needed to know what was going on.

Seated farthest from the door…

Luke walked over quickly and clapped Wedge Antilles thankfully on the shoulder.

"Wedge, I'm so glad you are all right," Luke said gravely.

Wedge stood up and they shook hands. Luke noted the shadows under his friend's eyes and some bruises on his face that had mostly faded. He felt a spike of anger, which he quickly brought under control. Even without a formal interrogation, Antilles had obviously suffered some abuse at Imperial hands.

"Commander Skywalker," Mon Mothma now said formally, "If you will please take a seat, we will bring this meeting to order."

Luke sat down next to Leia, who was next to Han. Chewbacca stayed standing behind them instead of attempting to insert himself into the conference room chairs, which were too small for him.

Rieekan rose to his feet, and quickly summarized the situation regarding the _Executor_ , the released prisoners, and the message for Skywalker from Vader. Nothing the general said was new information to Luke. Leia was known for her efficient and thorough briefings, and Luke knew she had made a priority of giving all pertinent information to him.

Rieekan finished, then gestured to a droid that was sitting quietly to one side. It was similar in shape and style to the Alliance's R2 droids, though it had Imperial markings.

The droid was activated, and rolled forward when commanded to do so.

It beeped, and a voice spoke.

"Will Commander Luke Skywalker step forward for retinal scan."

Luke stood up and moved over to the droid. It scanned him from head to toe, then focused on his right eye. There was a pause, then a port lit up, which projected a 2 meter hologram of Darth Vader. The Dark Lord's image stood straight, with arms clasped behind him in a parade rest position.

Luke stepped back but remained standing. He peripherally noted that everyone else stood as well, if only to avoid the stiff neck that would result from craning at the Dark Lord's ephemeral helmet.

"Commander Skywalker," the deep booming voice began, "I assume that other members of Alliance leadership are watching, but as I do not know their specific names, I will address this recording to you.

"Over the past two standard months, I have come to the conclusion that Emperor Palpatine's leadership has caused an unacceptable level of chaos and hardship for the citizens of the galaxy. I, as his servant, have regrettably been a substantial contributor to the suffering that so many have endured. I realize that you, and your colleagues Leia Organa, Han Solo, and the Wookie Chewbacca, have personally experienced pain at my hands.

"I have therefore decided to leave my position as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy, and second in command to Emperor Palpatine."

There was a gasp of shock from all those in the room, including Luke. Leia quickly shushed everyone, so they could hear Vader's continued dialogue.

"I intend to provide assistance to the Rebel Alliance in the hopes that the Alliance will succeed in driving back the Imperial fleet and free those worlds currently subjugated by Imperial tyranny.

"I considered attempting to work with your Alliance leadership in person, but realized that the long history of conflict between us would make trust impossible. I have therefore chosen to disappear from the galactic scene, during which season I will contemplate my future role in the galaxy.

"To assist the Alliance, I am providing my flagship, the _Executor_. The technicians on board were chosen as they were on the Imperial watch list for their Alliance leanings. Admiral Piett, who insisted on staying aboard during the transition to Alliance hands, has tremendous loyalty to his men, now stranded on a previously secret prison planet located near Ziost. Piett's second loyalty is to the ship itself, and his third allegiance is to me. He has long harbored doubts about Palpatine's rule, and if you are able to work with him, you will find him a loyal and gifted leader.

"In addition to my ship, I will be funneling substantial amounts of funding to the Rebel Alliance through surreptitious means. In order to avoid the notice of Palpatine's agents, such funding will of necessity come in limited quantities at a time. Some financial support will require a retinal scan to access, and I will be using yours, obtained at Champala during your recent mission there to rescue Prince Listoff."

There was a murmur from the members of High Command, and Luke's mouth dropped open slightly. Everyone knew Vader was incredibly wealthy. How much money was he talking about? And by using Luke's retinal scan for access, Vader was obviously giving Skywalker a vital role in obtaining this funding for the Alliance.

Vader's image shifted slightly as his arms moved next to his sides.

"The rest of this message is of a more exclusive nature and directed specifically to you, young Skywalker. If you wish to view it in private, you may instruct the droid to freeze the recording for observation later."

Leia shifted at his side but Luke spoke out loud, "No, let it continue."

There was a pause, and then the deep voice continued, "Based on your interview with the late Dr. Kast on Champala, it is obvious that you are lamentably ignorant of the circumstances of your parents' relationship and your birth. Obi-wan Kenobi is much to blame for this, though his silence on these matters is not surprising, given that the truth does not fit in well with Kenobi's goal for your ultimate destiny.

"I will confess that much of your conversation with Kast surprised me, but given that you were on truth monitors and given truth drugs, I presume that you were indeed expressing your genuine beliefs about your parents. It is therefore my obligation, and my privilege, to give you more accurate information.

"Your parents were secretly, but legally, wed, in the early days of the Clone Wars. Your father was, of course, the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. Your mother was a noted Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala. They were…"

Here there were such cries of shock that Luke called out, "Freeze recording" as no one was able to hear the next words.

Leia grabbed his arm, her eyes wide in amazement, "Luke, ou… _your_ mother was Padme Amidala! "

Luke winced inwardly. Had anyone noticed her slip?

Apparently not, as Mon Mothma spoke up immediately, "Padme Amidala! She and Jedi Skywalker were indeed close, but we never suspected…"

She turned and faced Luke directly, "Commander, assuming Vader speaks the truth, it is truly a delight for me to learn that you are the son of my old friend. I must confess to being absolutely amazed…"

Rieekan interrupted her, unusual for the correct general, "But surely this cannot be! When she died, Amidala was still preg.…"

He stopped, and looked uncomfortable.

There was a long pause, then Luke said carefully, "I've never heard of her."

Mothma looked around at the assembled group, then back at Skywalker.

"Then we have much to tell you. But I think it wise to continue and complete Vader's recording. If he indeed is speaking the truth – well, your mother was one of the most remarkable people the galaxy has ever known."

Leia clutched his hand hard, and Luke felt her Force sense flaring with awe. Who was this woman that was his, _their_ , mother?

The group turned back to the droid, still projecting Vader's now frozen image.

"Continue recording," Luke said.

Vader's image flickered and spoke again, "…essed with a close and loyal relationship, though the secrecy of their marriage combined with the exigencies of the Clone Wars regrettably resulted in long separations. It was at the dawning of Palpatine's rise to power as Emperor of the galaxy that your mother told your father that she was many months pregnant with their first child. Tragically, she died shortly after your birth, under unknown circumstances.

The baritone voice seemed to falter slightly with these words, then continued more slowly, "It is a tragedy of your life that you never knew your mother, nor she you. I assure you that you are a son that both your parents would be proud of. Indeed, you have shown a courage and resilience in your role with the Alliance that is extremely reminiscent of your mother's bravery and championship of the oppressed. "

Luke was aware of tears gathering his eyes, which he quickly blinked back.

The deep voice became more business like, "Given your predilection for diving into danger head first, I suspect you will attempt to find me and confront me in the near future. Do not do so. You will not be able to discover my whereabouts, as I intend to hide myself most thoroughly, from you, from the Rebel Alliance, and from Palpatine's agents. Use your considerable talents to further the cause of the Rebel Alliance and its fight against the Empire. I think it unlikely we will meet in person again, so let me take this opportunity to express my deep respect and admiration for the man you have become."

The image bowed slightly in Luke's direction, then faded completely.

Luke found his throat was choked up now, to the point that he couldn't have spoken if he wanted to. Fortunately, others were so eager to speak that he had some time to compose himself.

"Padme Amidala!"

"How much money do you think we're talking about?"

"Really, can we trust any of this? This is Vader we're talking about!"

"But he gave us the _Executor_! At the very least, we have the capability of destroying a ship that cost trillions of credits and is the pride of the Imperial fleet."

"It might still be a trap of some kind."

Mon Mothma raised her voice slightly, causing everyone else to subside, "If everyone would calm down for a moment."

She turned to Luke, "That was, Commander, quite an extraordinary personal message to you from Vader. I have not read your report of the mission to Champala. Kindly explain what this interview with the unknown doctor pertained to?"

Luke took a deep breath and moved slightly away from Leia and Han, so that through his body language he could take sole responsibility for what he was about to say.

"Mon Mothma, Generals, in order to rescue Prince Listoff, I feigned a psychiatric disorder known as Malintis Syndrome in order to gain access to the high security section of the psychiatric facility where Listoff was being held. Obviously, Vader observed the recording of Doctor Kast's 'examination' of me."

Mothma's brow furrowed, "What is Malintis Syndrome, Commander?"

"It's a very rare disorder in which an individual has a …break with reality…you could say, and decides that he is actually the son of a powerful and important individual. This Doctor Kast was well known as an expert on peculiar psychiatric disorders, and was writing a holobook on such topics. With that information, I chose to fake the syndrome so I could get close to Listoff without fighting my way through security."

Mothma nodded slightly, "Well, you obviously didn't know about your mother, but your father was Anakin Skywalker. So you named him? That was rather risky, given the reputation of the Jedi as traitors to the Empire."

Luke took a deep, cleansing breath, "No, I told Kast that Darth Vader was my father."

A wave of disbelief swept through the group, followed by exclamations of surprise.

"You told him Vader was your father?" Madine exclaimed in astonishment, "And he believed you really thought that? How did you fake your responses to the truth monitors, and overcome the truth drug?"

"Yes," Luke said with chin up, "He believed me. And I didn't need to fake anything. Darth Vader used to be Anakin Skywalker, and he is my father."

 _Author Note: Vader – sorry, but your son doesn't obey your orders and he will come after you!_


	9. Chapter 9

For a long minute, the members of Alliance High Command stood still in shock.

Then the expression on Mon Mothma's face changed to one of sympathy, and she stepped forward toward Luke.

"I'm so sorry, Commander," she said gently.

Her kind tone was so unexpected that Luke, already reeling from his father's recording, wondered if he might actually have an emotional breakdown right then and there.

Fortunately, General Madine came to his rescue.

"Sorry?" he snapped angrily, "I'm sorry too, that we have the son of that monster walking in our midst. How do we know you haven't been plotting with him all along, Skywalker?"

Leia, whose protective fire had been hovering on the edge of Luke's consciousness, chose this moment to erupt.

"How dare you, General?" she hissed in outrage, "Luke had given his complete loyalty to the Alliance for the last four years. He has pledged his allegiance, has suffered, has nearly died numerous times for the cause. If it wasn't for Luke's actions at the Battle of Yavin…"

"Yes, indeed – and how did he make that shot against the Death Star, Princess?" Madine shot back, "Perhaps Vader helped him secretly, maybe this has been a long, drawn out plot for Vader and his son to destroy Palpatine and take control of the Empire. Maybe this is just the next step in their master plan. Has that occurred to you?"

Solo stepped forward in outrage, and Chewbacca also growled menacingly.

Luke spoke quickly, "Han, Leia, Chewie!"

All three paused and looked at him.

"Please, General Madine's concerns are completely valid, and you know that. Truthfully, I was expecting his response from all of you, members of High Command."

He gave Mon Mothma a grateful look and swallowed the lump in his throat, "Your kindness is much appreciated, sir. It has indeed been … a difficult truth to bear."

Mothma nodded and gave Madine a cool stare, "You need to calm down and refrain from making wild accusations, General."

She gathered all those in attendance with her gaze and said, "Let us sit down and discuss this peaceably. Chewbacca, please take my seat."

She moved from the command chair, which was large enough to mostly accommodate Chewbacca's furry legs and torso. Chewie still had to work to fit himself into the chair, which lightened the mood slightly.

Mon Mothma sat down in a chair across from Luke.

"So please tell us when you found out that Darth Vader is your biological father."

Luke sighed and looked out at the window. The _Executor_ floated regally in space within his view.

"He told me during our confrontation at Bespin," he said soberly, "Right after he…cut off my hand. I didn't want to believe him, I tried to tell myself he was lying…but I sensed he was speaking the truth. Five months ago, the Jedi Master who trained me confirmed that Darth Vader was once Anakin Skywalker, my father."

Mon Mothma nodded, "I am peripherally aware of the events of Bespin, though not the details. After he disabled you, what else did he say?"

"He said I could destroy the Emperor, that my destiny was to join Vader and together we could rule the galaxy as father and son."

"So he very specifically referred to you in those terms, as his son?" Mothma asked.

Luke turned his gaze to her, "Yes."

Mothma nodded again and considered for a long moment. Everyone else sat quietly, waiting.

"What did you say about Vader at Champala, when talking to that doctor?" she asked suddenly.

Luke furrowed his brow, "Well, a number of things. I was channeling my fear and discouragement that day, to convince the doctor. I said I was terrified of my father. That I refused to join him since he was a tyrant. I said I assumed I was some mistake from a one night stand, and that I thought he despised me, that I was an embarrassment to him. I said…" he paused, and swallowed hard, "I said I loved him because he was my father, even though I hate the things he has done as Darth Vader."

Mon Mothma was staring steadily at him. Luke felt Leia twitch in the Force, no doubt from Luke's statement that he loved their father. He knew she had no such weakness, but then she didn't have the same void as he did, as Bail Organa had been a devoted father to her.

Mothma finally spoke, softly, "Based on Vader's recording, I think we need to at least consider the possibility that Vader was profoundly affected by your message, and is … changing."

Madine spoke up indignantly, "You can't really believe that? The man is a monster!"

Rieekan shook his head, "He wasn't always a monster, General. I didn't know Anakin Skywalker personally, but he was one of the greatest of the Jedi Knights. He turned the tide of battle for the Old Republic more than once. He was, at one time, a truly great man."

Mothma spoke up, "I did meet him a few times, in person. He had a reputation for being extremely loyal and almost fearless in his willingness to risk his own life and wellbeing for the sake of those around him. He and Kenobi were an acclaimed team, and saved countless lives."

Madine pounced, "Which is exactly my concern! If a powerful and good man could turn into the man that is now Darth Vader, how can we possibly trust his son?"

Leia opened his mouth in protest, but Luke spoke up quickly.

"General, I assure you I do understand your concerns. I am powerful with the Force, though I doubt I'm as potent as my father is. I assure you that I am aware of my family legacy and I am aware of the dangers of such power. I hope and believe that my knowledge of the risks of the Dark Side will keep me safe from falling as my father did."

He turned to Mon Mothma, "Sir, I haven't had time to think through my … father's…message, but there is one argument against this being some kind of repentance. He says that he knew of my mother's pregnancy. I had assumed that he didn't know about me, that I was the product of a fling and Kenobi tracked down my mother later. If he did, if Vader knew he had a child, why didn't he hunt for me long ago, when I was a child? Why wait until a few years ago to start searching for me? I suspect that he discovered I was a strong Force sensitive when we interacted over the Death Star, and he concluded at that point I was worth some degree of attention. It wasn't like I was even hidden that well. I carried his former name!"

Mon Mothma and Carlist Rieekan exchanged thoughtful glances, and Rieekan spoke, "I think he believed you had died before birth, with your mother."

Luke felt Leia's curiosity spike, along with his own.

"Why would he think that?" he questioned.

Mothma shook her head sadly and suddenly looked much older, "There were so many tragedies at the advent of the Empire. The destruction of the Jedi. The loss of democracy. The sudden disappearance of Palpatine's more vocal political opponents. But not many sorrows touched me like the death of Padme Amidala. She was very young, perhaps 26, when the galaxy lost her. She had been such a strong voice for democracy, and had worked with your father, Leia, in trying to curb the excessive powers that Palpatine had claimed as Chancellor. Her death was mysterious and, we guessed, part of Palpatine's plot against the voices of democracy in the Senate.

"It was…widely known…near the end, that she was pregnant, though the identity of the father was a mystery. When she died, her funeral was broadcast across the galaxy as she was carried in her casket through the streets of the capital city of Naboo. She still appeared to be pregnant. We all assumed that the child had died with her before birth. Vader almost certainly believed the same thing."

Luke looked at his secret sister, "Kenobi or Yoda, or both, probably plotted to make it look like she hadn't given birth yet. Vader's message said she died shortly after I was born, but perhaps he didn't know that at the time."

"I am certain he did not," Rieekan responded, "A child of Anakin Skywalker's would have been a grave danger to Palpatine. I assure you, many younglings were hunted down and killed to prevent them from growing to maturity and rising against the Emperor. The deception was for your safety."

There was a pause, and then Han Solo, of all people, spoke up, "Still, a rotten thing to do. If there was anything left of Luke's dad in there, perhaps knowing he had a child alive would have helped him come back. It sounds like Vader really cared about Luke's mom. Maybe if he had known about Luke…"

Luke was, once again, struck with the rough but astonishing wisdom of Han Solo. For all that he sported the careless persona of the roguish gambler, he often came out with startling bits of insight about the human psyche.

Leia sighed, "Well, it is 24 years too late to know if it would have made a difference. We need to figure out what to do now, with this mysterious message and the _Executor_ and the future of the Alliance."

"And whether I should try to find Vader," Luke added.

Everyone looked at him in astonishment.

"He said you shouldn't look for him, Kid," Han said.

"Yeah, and I _always_ do what he says, right?" Luke shot back.

"Han's right though, Luke," Leia said worriedly, "I can't imagine how wasting your time tracking him down is a wise thing to do, nor is confronting him a healthy plan."

Luke paused, and then spoke slowly, "He said he thought it unlikely we would meet face to face again. That makes me think he is either planning on going into self-imposed exile, or he plans on trying to kill Palpatine alone. I'm not sure he can do it. In fact, at Bespin he rather implied that he needed my help to overthrow the Emperor."

"So if he fails, he'll be dead and we won't need to worry about him anymore," Madine said callously.

Luke gave Madine a thoughtful look, whereas everyone else looked at him indignantly.

"It would obviously be a splendid thing if Palpatine were overthrown," Mon Mothma said diplomatically, "And if we can be convinced of Vader's true change of heart, perhaps we can assist in some way."

She glanced at her chrono, "I have another vital meeting. Commander Skywalker, I want you to interview this Admiral Piett tomorrow morning. We will have further discussions about all these issues as events transpire. One last thing, the information about Commander Skywalker's paternity is a secret. No one is to share it without his permission. Is that clear?"

There were nods, and those in attendance quietly left the room. Luke hung back so that he and Madine were the last to leave. Just as they reached the door, the General reached out a gentle hand of restraint.

"Commander Skywalker," he said courteously, "I apologize for my accusations and comments about Vader. To be honest, I was partially baiting you to see how you'd react. You were remarkably patient with me, and passed that test with flying colors."

Luke focused on the General thoughtfully, "I thought you were being needlessly antagonistic, sir. I don't know if I should say thank you for the compliment, or 'You idiot!' for deliberately trying to enrage the son of Darth Vader."

This surprised a chuckle out of Madine, "Probably both answers are entirely appropriate. It's an honor to work at your side, Commander. May the Force be with you."

 ** _Author note: Thanks again for the reviews and follows. I do love dialogue, don't I? In the next chapter, Luke gets some clues as to where Vader has hidden himself._**


	10. Chapter 10

_That night_

Luke Skywalker carefully removed his boots and outer garments, and collapsed into his bed. The pillow was soft, the bed was long enough for his rather slight frame, and he was _thankful_. Rest in an X-wing cockpit, even with the benefit of Jedi hibernation trances, was no substitute for real sleep in a real bed.

The day had been long, busy, and emotionally challenging, and Luke found himself quickly growing drowsy. He had intended to ponder his father's holographic message more thoroughly, but decided now that his brain needed sleep more than cogitation. His last conscious act was to reach a drowsy Force tendril out to his sister Leia, who was sleeping in one of the other bedrooms in the pod. The other occupants of the pod, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, had not returned to their rooms yet. Han was probably working on the _Falcon_ , which was, as usual, displaying erratic mechanical problems. Calrissian was probably off indulging in the rather sedate carousing possible on the Mon Calamari ship.

Luke Skywalker drifted completely off to sleep.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

 _He walked into the kitchen at home._

 _"_ _Oh Luke," Aunt Beru said with warm smile,"You woke up early from your nap. That means an early bedtime for you tonight."_

 _"_ _C'n I have a drink, pease?" a little voice lisped._

 _His own voice._

 _"_ _Of course, sweetheart, and here's a snack."_

 _The little hand reached out and carefully took the cup full of water in one hand, and the cookie in the other hand._

 _"_ _Go sit at the table, Luke," his aunt instructed._

 _"_ _Where is Unca?" little Luke inquired._

 _"_ _He's not home yet, my dear," his aunt responded, "You got up early so he's still working."_

 _Luke's tiny eyebrows furrowed. He_ felt _Uncle Owen nearby, so he wasn't way out near the vaporators where Aunt Beru had taken him once. That had been exciting. He loved the long metal struts and strange noises that the machines made. He liked machines._

 _Slowly, carefully, Luke Skywalker climbed the stairs into the dining area. Then, with a quick backward look toward the kitchen, he kept walking out into the courtyard, eagerly stuffing the cookie into his mouth._

 _Up the stairs he went, slowly, for they were big for such short legs. He carried the water carefully and took an occasional sip. He knew, even at such a young age, that water was precious._

 _There was Uncle Owen, off in an area next to one of the workshops. He ran quickly over to him. Uncle was busy doing something, and didn't notice his nephew approaching._

 _What was his uncle doing? Digging a hole? Why? Could he help?_

 _"_ _Unca, can I hep?" Luke asked._

 _His uncle started in surprise, then looked at Luke with a frown._

 _"_ _Luke, I thought you were taking a nap," he said gruffly. His face looked funny. There were streaks of wet under his eyes._

 _"_ _I up," Luke explained._

 _He heard his aunt calling rather frantically, "Luke, Luke, where are you?"_

 _"_ _He's over here, Beru," Uncle Owen bellowed._

 _Auntie quickly ran up to both her husband and nephew, and gave Luke a hug. She looked at her husband in surprise, then dismay._

 _"_ _Oh Owen, must we do this so soon?" she asked pleadingly._

 _Uncle Owen shook his head, "Luke is growing up, Beru. Soon he'll be able to remember. Best to do this now."_

 _Luke was distracted by a small pile of sand next to the hole. A few wet drops had fallen onto the sand, making it different. He had noticed that before, that wet sand was different than dry sand. He looked cautiously at his aunt and uncle. They were busy talking. Carefully, sneakily, Luke poured some of his water onto the sand. Oooh, now there was a pile. He reached one small hand into the wet pile. It smushed together very nicely._

 _Thankfully, the grown-ups kept talking and didn't notice his rebellious waste of water._

 _Aunt Beru was looking at a big stone that had been standing next to the place where Uncle was digging a hole. It had been there for as long as Luke could remember. Luke had climbed on it once, only to be shooed away by Uncle Owen._

 _"_ _She would be so proud of Luke," Beru said._

 _"_ _Yes, she would," Owen answered quietly._

 _There was a long pause._

 _"_ _Owen, I really don't know that it would be dangerous to leave it…"_

 _"_ _It's got Anakin's name on it, Beru,"Owen interrupted, "'Beloved mother of Anakin Skywalker and Owen Lars'. Even out here, having Anakin's name on a tombstone isn't safe for Luke, you know that. Once I break it up, and bury it, any memories of her among the locals will fade away. You want Luke to be safe, don't you?"_

 _Aunt Beru sighed, "Of course I do. It's just … she was such a wonderful person. And died such a terrible death. It seems so wrong to blot out all that is left of her on this planet."_

 _"_ _Luke is left, Beru."_

 _"_ _I know, you're right."_

 _Luke peered up. Auntie had wet spots under her eyes now too._

 _Were they crying? Grown-ups didn't cry._

 _"_ _I so wish Anakin could have met his boy," Beru said suddenly, "He would have loved Luke so much."_

 _"_ _I wish a lot of things about Anakin," Owen said gruffly, "He should have stayed here and not run off with those crazy Jedi. If he had stayed, maybe none of this would have happened."_

 _Beru shook her head sadly, "Only a Jedi could have found her, Owen, you know that. Your father tried and nearly died trying to get her back. At least she got to see her son before she died."_

 _"_ _In the end, he was too busy trying to save the galaxy to save his own mother, Beru."_

 _Luke quivered at the harsh tone in his uncle's voice and looked up. Were they fighting? They never fought._

 _Beru noticed him and directed a warning look at her husband. She picked her nephew up gently, "It's Ok, Luke."_

 _"_ _Owen," she added softly, "Maybe we should change his last name to Lars, as Kenobi suggested."_

 _"_ _No," Uncle said after a moment,"Luke is all that is left of her family line. There are other Skywalkers in the galaxy. In 15 years, when Luke is grown up, no one will likely remember or care about Anakin Skywalker and if they do care, it won't be obvious that Luke is related to him. I won't take her name away from her grandson, Beru."_

 _Aunt Beru nodded, "And Anakin's name will live on as well."_

 _Luke felt Uncle Owen's mood grow dark._

 _"_ _I don't care about Anakin."_

 _Aunt Beru looked at her husband pleadingly,"He died a hero, Owen. Don't forget that."_

 _"_ _He died a hero, yes," Luke's uncle responded angrily, "He was too heroic to stay here on Tatooine and live a normal life. Shmi told us how his eyes were always on the stars, how all he wanted to do was leave this 'dustball of a planet.' So he did, he left her behind. He left us all behind."_

 _Beru spoke up firmly, "You can't blame Anakin for hating Tatooine, Owen. He spent the first 9 years of his life here in slavery, and then when he came back…"_

 _Both of Luke's relatives looked solemnly at the gravestone._

 _Owen relaxed._

 _"_ _You're right, Beru," he said apologetically,"As usual, you're right."_

 _He knelt down by the gravestone and brushed a loving hand on the surface, then looked up at his wife and nephew._

 _"_ _You're right," he repeated, "Once he escaped, Tatooine was the very last place you would expect to find Anakin Skywalker."_

 _-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_

In the Mon Calamari ship, Luke Skywalker woke up suddenly and sat up. With an audible groan, he ran his hands over his face and over his short cropped hair.

Was he really so dense that the Force had to hit him over the head quite so firmly?

Well, he knew where his father was, now.

The question was, what to do about it?

 _The next morning_

Admiral Firmus Piett gazed out of the small viewport in his cell.

"Cell" was really a strong word for it. Yes, the door was locked from the outside. Yes, he wasn't allowed out. But still – there was a reasonably comfortable bed, a small table and 2 chairs, a small refresher, and a food preparation unit that delivered food and drink at regulated intervals.

So far, the main horror had been boredom, and even that wasn't too terrible. To his astonishment, he had been provided with a datapad with selected reading material. He had fully expected the selections to be anti-Imperial drivel, but in fact he found a hodgepodge of randomness, with articles on the preparation of moonglow jostling with a peculiar book on fixing T-16 Skyhoppers.

And at times, the position of the ship on which he was imprisoned was positioned such that could gaze at his "Lady", the _Executor_. So far, those blasted rebels didn't seem to be cannibalizing her for parts.

He sighed. What was he doing here? For the 89th time, he went through his reasoning.

1\. Darth Vader had defected from the Empire.

2\. Vader had given his admiral the option of either staying with the _Executor_ or staying with his men stranded on the prison planet.

3\. Emperor Palpatine knew of the location of the prison planet.

4\. If the Emperor sent troops to rescue the stranded men (and that was a big if), Piett would be the highest ranking officer left there.

5\. The Emperor would be very angry at Vader's defection.

6\. The Emperor would kill Piett in lieu of his errant second-in-command.

7\. Unpleasantly.

Piett nodded. The logic worked. Vader himself had recommended that he trust the Alliance over the Emperor. And what did that say about the Empire that he had devoted his life to?

Besides, he admitted to a probably morbid curiosity in Luke Skywalker, assuming the young Rebel ever made an appearance. Who would have thought that…

The door opened abruptly, and Piett spun around quickly.

The man entering was young, familiar, and…

"You're short!" Piett exclaimed.

Why did he say _that_? Captivity must be interfering with his normally rigid self control more than he thought.

To his relief, the young man (Luke Skywalker) didn't take umbrage, but merely looked at him thoughtfully.

"I am short," Skywalker agreed.

He considered Piett with interest, then added, "I didn't inherit my height from my father."

"No, you didn't," Piett agreed cautiously.

Their eyes met.

"So he told you," Skywalker stated.

Piett was suddenly nervous. Did Rebel High Command know about Skywalker's paternity? Would the fledgling Jedi silence him to keep it from leaking out?

Skywalker abruptly moved over to the food preparation unit.

"Can I get you something to drink, Admiral?" he asked amiably.

Piett blinked. Was this some subtle plan to poison him?

No, the son of Darth Vader would have no need for poison.

"That would be most appreciated," he said formally, then added more casually, "And the more alcoholic the better."

Skywalker's mouth twisted into a slight smile.

"I'm guessing most of the alcohol on this ship is derived from something aquatic, but life is meant to be an adventure, is it not?"

There was a long pause, and then Skywalker moved away from the food prep unit with two glasses in his hands. He set them both down at the table, and slid into one of the chairs.

"Won't you sit down, Admiral?" he invited.

Piett stared at the young man for a moment, then moved over to take the seat across from Skywalker. He was quite familiar with Imperial interrogation methods, and none started out with drinks. Perhaps this was some subtle form of the Kristanki Technique? Get the prisoner relaxed, and then apply the pressure?

Piett carefully lifted the glass of … liquid…to his mouth and took a sip. Inevitably, his face twitched. What was this stuff?

"Not to your liking?" Skywalker asked, apparently sympathetically.

Piett took another drink, "I can tell it has alcohol. That's good enough for me. Shall we get down to business, Commander Skywalker?"

Skywalker leaned back and took a drink from his own cup (some strange bluish white liquid, Piett noticed peripherally) and said, "Certainly. I was told you would talk only to me. I'm not an interrogator and I have no intention of being unpleasant. Also, I have a great deal to do today. So, what's the situation? Do you have something you want to say? Do you want me to ask questions? Why did you surrender, anyway?"

Piett blinked.

No, the young Skywalker was obviously not an interrogator. They tended to be more subtle.

Except for Skywalker's father, who was rarely subtle.

A good reminder to take this young man seriously, in spite of his youthful good looks and quite gentle features. Luke Skywalker looked positively _nice_.

He shook his head to clear it.

"Commander Skywalker," Piett said formally, "Lord Vader informed me of his decision to defect from the Empire. While I have not defected from the Empire, per se, I am in agreement that the Emperor is no longer ruling the galaxy in a way that is beneficial for the citizens of the galaxy in general, and for his men in the military specifically. With some reluctance, therefore, I have chosen to assist the Rebellion as an advisor. I will provide information about the _Executor_ and how to operate her. I will provide information about Imperial bases and defenses and offenses. I refuse, however, to take up arms against my comrades by commanding or directly operating a ship. Perhaps that is illogical, but it is the course I am committed to following."

Skywalker gazed at him for a long, probing moment. Ah, now that was rather like Lord Vader. How well he recognized that penetrating stare.

"No, I understand completely," Skywalker finally said.

He took another sip of his peculiar drink, then added, "My father sent me a message, as you probably know. He stated that you are loyal to your men and your ship. If you are willing, I would like to know more about this prison planet where the _Executor_ 's crew is currently stranded. We did a search on the coordinates provided by the technicians on the _Executor_. According to our records, the planet listed is not habitable due to an erratic planetary tilt."

Piett heaved a worried sigh, "Your records are partially correct, Commander. The planet was considered uninhabitable for precisely those reasons. However, geographic anomalies provide significant geothermal power, and the planet is essentially an experiment to see whether it can be transformed into something habitable. The concern is that the planet is approaching a dangerous phase, when its orbit moves close to a nearby planet and its planetary tilt will change from the gravitational pull of the other planet. Records from the past are incomplete, but it seems likely that the temperatures in what has been the habitable zone for many years may alter to become fatal for humans."

Skywalker looked…concerned? Yes, concerned. Either the boy was a consummate actor, or he genuinely cared about the random Imperials facing possible extinction on that blasted planet.

"I presume the Emperor knows of the prison planet?"

"Yes, and he may send a rescue mission. Or he may not bother. If he does, he may kill everyone in a rage over Lord Vader's defection. To be honest, I chose to stay with the _Executor_ partially because the prospect of being stranded was even less palatable than imprisonment by the Rebel Alliance."

Skywalker asked, "Besides your crew, are there still other prisoners there?"

Piett nodded, "Yes. Lord Vader only extracted known Rebels. There were many hundred slave laborers without Rebel ties."

Skywalker shook his head slightly and looked out the window, currently showing empty space.

"A tragic situation, Admiral," he said.

He turned and faced Piett, "I'll talk to Alliance High Command and try to convince them to mount a rescue mission. I'm assuming many of your men were conscripts, in which case we may be able to release them to their home worlds. Some might even be willing to join the Alliance. At any rate, I'll do what I can."

Piett was astonished. If Skywalker was genuine…

"That's very kind of you, Commander," he said, and was surprised to feel a lump in his throat. He had forced himself to not dwell too much on his men's probably fate, as he could do nothing. But maybe there was hope.

Quickly, Piett added, "And I was genuine about providing information to the Alliance about the _Lady Ex_."

Skywalker nodded, "I know. You have many talents and gifts, Admiral, but you do not shield well. I did a surface mind probe a few minutes ago, and I'm convinced of your veracity. I will be leaving on a mission shortly, and I hope you'll work with my colleagues regarding running the _Executor_. I will say I'm not sure we can staff her. You'll need to accept she may be torn to pieces for parts."

Piett grimaced and said, "She's been designed to run on minimal crew, Skywalker. There was always the possibility that many men would be lost during battle, or that most men would need to be transferred off in the event of a planetary crisis. Indeed, she has been running on a skeleton crew for the last 3 weeks, as Lord Vader made a point of transferring many men to various Imperial outposts over the last two months, no doubt as preparation for his defection."

Skywalker's eyebrows lifted, "And no one asked Vader why he was doing that?"

Piett's mouth actually gaped open with astonishment.

"You don't know your father very well, do you? No one dared question him about anything. To do so was to invite constriction of the throat resulting in permanent loss of breath."

Skywalker winced, "Yes, I have heard about that."

The young man sighed, and added, "And no, I don't know him well. We've only met once, as you probably know, and we were literally fighting for most of our encounter. That was at Bespin. Were you there?"

Piett took a deep breath, and forced himself to remain calm. His memories of Bespin were _not_ good. Though actually, Skywalker's were no doubt much worse.

"Yes, I was promoted to Admiral just before the battle of Hoth, so I was second in command of the _Executor_ at Bespin."

Skywalker lifted one eyebrow, "He obviously didn't kill you."

"No," Piett said slowly, then added in a rush, "I fully expected him to. I was just waiting for those invisible talons to constrict around my throat when the _Millennium Falcon_ went into hyperspace. I still don't know how you managed that."

"The droid I brought with me communicated with the Cloud City central computer and learned that the hyperdrive had been deactivated. It switched on the hyperdrive at the very last moment."

Skywalker smiled wryly, "I'm afraid bringing the droid was my only useful contribution to our escape. Other than that, I was a total liability."

Piett took a deep breath, "May I speak candidly about your father, Commander Skywalker?"

The boy turned and looked at him with his penetrating stare, then nodded and sat back in his chair, "Please do, Admiral. I am very interested in anything you can tell me about him."

Piett stood up abruptly and walked over to the viewport.

"I admire Lord Vader in many ways. He's an incredibly hard worker, a brilliant tactician, and leads from the front lines.

He turned to look at Skywalker, "Unfortunately, Lord Vader can also be needlessly cruel and until a few years ago, I would have said he was entirely heartless. He appeared to be totally devoted to Emperor Palpatine, and his main goals were the destruction of the rebellion and the conquest of the galaxy on his master's behalf. There are many other Imperials with similar goals, but only Vader was as much a danger to his own men as to the enemy. He had a reputation for bouts of rage which resulted in destruction for those in range."

Piett focused on Skywalker, who was now gazing into his drink.

"And then you appeared on the galactic scene. I remember when your name was finally uncovered as the pilot who had destroyed the Death Star. There was naturally much talk about you, about your humble origins and the incredible skill of that impossible shot. I was assigned to the _Executor_ a few months after you were identified. It became obvious to the entire command staff that Lord Vader was completely obsessed with you. We literally had weekly meetings, and Vader had agents hunting down every scrap of information about you they could gather. When we discovered the Rebel base on Hoth, the first thing Vader said was that you were there with the Rebels.

"And then the pursuit of the _Millennium Falcon_ , and the flight through that asteroid field, and Bespin, and your impossible escape…

"Lord Vader was different after that. He spent more time in his chambers. He was quieter. I am positive now that he was grieving. I don't know your father's past nor what made him the man he is, but there is no doubt that he cares about you, Commander Skywalker.

"Two months ago, he returned from Champala in a profoundly solemn mood. He shut himself in his chambers for three days, and when he emerged he began this bizarre course of events which led to his defection. He started shedding personnel at nearby bases. He stocked the _Executor_ with full supplies, presumably for the benefit of the Alliance. And finally, a few weeks ago, he ordered me into a meeting room and told me that you are his son.

Skywalker turned his head now, staring at him intently. Piett, unnerved by the intensity of the rebel's gaze, turned his eyes back out towards space. He could just see the front portion of his precious _Executor_ in the viewport now.

"He, I'm just going to say it, he loves you, Commander. As a son. He is deeply concerned about your wellbeing. I would urge you, therefore, to be careful of your own safety. You spoke of an upcoming mission. Lord Vader recently expressed considerable disapproval for the missions the Alliance sends you on, stating that they are too dangerous. If you were to be badly injured or killed, I do not believe your father would react well."

He turned back. Skywalker's eyes were narrowed, but he also nodded slightly.

"Do you think that's why my father is tying in some of his funding to my retinal scan?" he asked, "To keep me closer to the Alliance Fleet, to keep me safer?"

Piett nodded, impressed, "Yes, I have no doubt that is true. He also asked, though did not order, that I work with you as much as possible in the hopes that the Alliance would be willing to keep you nearby to obtain information easily from me."

Skywalker nodded thoughtfully, then stood up.

"Thank you very much, Admiral," he said, then smiled charmingly, "I will do my best to stay alive and well. And this mission I spoke of is actually a search for my father, so if I am injured when I find him, it will be entirely his fault."

 ** _Author Note:_**

 ** _I rather like Piett, especially after reading (the as yet incomplete) Meet the Skywalkers by frodogenic. If you haven't read frodogenic's stuff, do. BRILLIANT! Thanks again for those following and reviewing._**


	11. Chapter 11

_Two weeks later_

Darth Vader deliberately stood up and moved to the door of his former master's hut, situated in a rocky area of the Jundland Wastes on Tatooine.

Outside, the twin suns were setting. With darkness approaching, he would need to shut down the power and lights in the hut and move to his concealed ship, currently disguised with desert camouflage fabric, rocks, and a fine covering of the pervasive sand.

When he had landed on Tatooine, 3 weeks ago, he had originally intended to settle near the old Lars homestead. He was confident that hiding near his mother's grave would be so out of character that Palpatine would not think to search for him there.

But to his surprise, a long range Force probe indicated that the Lars homestead was inhabited, though he was not sure by whom. He had thought that the destruction by fire, 4 years ago, would discourage anyone settling there, but the people of Tatooine were hardy and had rebuilt from the ashes.

While he obviously could have destroyed the current occupants, his sole focus was to be secretive, so he had flown vaguely towards the Jundland Wastes in the hopes of finding a suitable habitation.

And to his amazement, he had been both pulled and repelled by an aura of the Light Side. He had landed his ship, searched briefly, and stumbled upon the now derelict home of his former master, Obi-wan Kenobi.

The Light Side aura? On one hand, he sensed the old, grating presence of his former Master. On the other hand, he sensed the more recent, warm presence of his precious son.

Vader had landed his ship that first night, covered it and disguised it, and settled in. The ship, while not especially large, was well stocked for his own particular needs, with water and the specific nutrient packs suitable for his life support suit. He would be able to stay here for several months if he wanted to. A small but fully operational hyperbaric chamber resided inside, and there was a large enough chamber for him to practice his lightsaber skills with remotes. Lastly, the ship carried an extensive array of tools .

That first morning after he landed, he had hesitantly walked through the hut where Kenobi had likely spent most of the last two decades of his life. It was not a large place. There was a small kitchen, a living area, a bedroom, and a fairly primitive refresher. There was also some kind of storage area underneath the hut, though the opening was too small for his large frame. He could have cut open a larger hole with his lightsaber, but for now, he decided to refrain.

The place reeked, or sang, of the Light Side of the Force, depending on one's perspective. Vader would have found it almost unbearable except that Luke had been here, and somehow that made the hut a rather comforting place. There were signs – a robe for a small adult male, left behind. A furnace, clearly used recently to create the crystal for the lightsaber which Luke had been witnessed wielding. Even a few hairpins, doubtless from the Alderaanian princess who was so often in his son's company.

At first, he had felt bitter pleasure about his former master Kenobi who – hero of the galaxy, the Great Negotiator, the quintessential Jedi- had wasted away in this primitive hut for 19 long years on this sand blown planet. While Vader himself lived daily in the prison of his life support suit, he at least had been able to travel the stars. It was sweet revenge that Kenobi had been forced to cower here in hiding, terrified of the Empire, not daring to travel openly for fear of discovery.

A few hours of gloating did not, however, bring him the Dark Side pleasure he expected. Because he knew why Kenobi had settled here. He was watching over Luke. And while Vader was enraged that his son had been stolen from him, he knew – he knew – that Kenobi, that Obi-wan, had gladly sacrificed his own comfort and safety and desires to keep Luke secure. He had to be grateful for that.

That first day, Vader had returned to his ship and spent many hours working on his master plan, the plan to kill Palpatine. And the first task was to completely understand his life support suit and consider what upgrades he must have in place to survive an encounter with his Sith Master.

He used to trust his Master. Indeed, there was a time when he trusted the then Chancellor Palpatine more than he trusted his own wife. He had always loved Padme, he adored her, but he believed that Palpatine's wisdom and experience trumped Padme's idealism and trust in democracy. Indeed, he had turned to the Dark Side at least partially because the elder Sith Lord had wooed him gently for so long. The young Sith Lord Darth Vader had thought he could have it all – his wife, his child, his master – and then, not his master. He had truly believed he was powerful enough to overcome Palpatine at his leisure, and rule the galaxy with his family.

Well, decades of servitude had showed Vader one thing. Palpatine was incredibly powerful. And intelligent. And he saw around corners. Vader had never tried to openly overthrow his master, but even his subtle failures and rebellions had brought about harsher and harsher punishment as the years went by.

Palpatine called him "friend" but the term was more an insult than a compliment. Vader was a slave, pure and simple, and Palpatine wanted him that way.

So, the suit. He had been placed in it while unconscious, and he had never been permitted the resources or time to truly understand all its inner workings. So for at least a season, he would devote his time to uncovering the suit's limitations. He had always been remarkably adept with mechanical things. With time, and focus, and tools, he could make alterations necessary to, among other things, survive a high level blast of Force Lightening. He knew from painful experience that even a low level attack of Force Lightening would bring him to his knees. And Palpatine was such an expert that even with his lightsaber in hand, Vader was afraid he would be overcome, he would fail, in an open fight between them.

And he must not fail. He must not. Luke would never be safe with Palpatine roaming the galaxy. Vader was not sure what the future held. He was not sure if the tattered remnants of the Empire could be pulled together under his rule. But for his son's sake, he would kill the Emperor. If it was the last thing he did.

The days of working on the suit, of practicing lightsaber drills, of spending time in silent meditation, worked strange things on Darth Vader. He had been so busy for so long. Even when meditating, he was constantly thinking of the future and of his son and about his plans for conquest. Here, on this planet that used to be his home, he found a strange and surprising peace. He had hated Tatooine, hated it for its dust and its sand and its heat. Hated the slavery. Hated the Tusken Raiders. Loved his mother desperately, and hated himself and everyone around him for failing to save her.

But now, with quiet and silence and time to reflect, with a ship that would allow him to leave whenever he chose, he found himself relaxed and even quite content. And while he continued to harbor hatred towards Kenobi for his mutilation at Mustafar at his former Master's hands, he found himself, day after day, going into the old hut and working there on the suit. There were times when he almost expected to see Obi-wan step out of the kitchen, he almost thought he saw his old friend's face in his peripheral vision. It should have been frustrating, but in a way it was almost comforting. For many long years, they had been devoted comrades and friends. It was odd to think of that now.

The first sun slipped below the horizon. Vader turned and flipped off the lights and power generators with the Force. He was probably being overly cautious – few came out this far – but it seemed wise to be in his ship, under cover, once darkness fell. The lights of the hut would shine for quite a distance in the darkness of the desert sky.

Vader stepped out of the hut and moved slowly towards the concealed entrance to his ship, when a distant sound reached his amplified hearing.

He stretched out with the Force and turned suddenly. A ship was approaching, and rapidly. Who would be out this far in the desert at night? Who would dare the Jundland Wastes in the darkness, where the Tuskens roamed and the krayt dragons hunted?

A fear clutched at his heart. If the Emperor had located him, he could expect no mercy and he was not ready.

He forced himself to relax, and stretched out with his Force sense towards the ship, which was now nearly overhead. And in an instant, his mind touched that of the pilot. Of his son.

Luke was here. Here? How had his son found him? And were there other rebels nearby, plotting to take him captive or kill him?

He expanded his Force probe. No one else was around. It seemed that his foolish and determined son had done exactly what Vader had told him not to do. Luke had found him and decided to confront him on his own.

The X-wing, for that is what it was, hovered and then gracefully sank to the ground only 100 meters from Vader. The Sith Lord moved forward, lightsaber in his hand, though he did not light it.

There was the faint beep of an R2 unit. Then the hatch opened, and he saw his son remove his helmet, stand up, and leap lightly to the sand.

Though the second sun was below the horizon, there was still enough light to see his son's face. The boy looked and felt calm, and there was no antagonism in his spirit.

Vader relaxed slightly.

"Hello, Father," Luke said solemnly.

Vader sighed, "Welcome, my son."


	12. Chapter 12

Luke stared with some uncertainty at his father. While Vader had not turned on his lightsaber, his father continued to carry it in his hand instead of returning the hilt to his belt.

He had known that coming here was risky. Whatever Vader felt for him, the Sith Lord probably didn't appreciate surprises, and he certainly didn't like being disobeyed. And Luke had very deliberately done what Vader had told him not to do – hunted him down to confront him.

Though he didn't want a confrontation. He just wanted to talk.

"Can we talk?" he asked, and allowed some yearning in his tone.

His father stared at him, the mechanical breathing echoing ominously in the Tatooine night air.

"How did you find me?" Vader demanded.

Luke nodded. That was a reasonable question.

"I had a dream," he said simply.

He felt his father's spirit flinch in response. Why was that?

"What kind of dream?" the Sith Lord demanded.

Luke took a cautious step forward.

"It was really a memory, I think, from when I was very young. My Uncle Owen," Luke gestured vaguely in the direction of the old Lars farm, "broke up and buried the tombstone of my grandmother, your mother, when I was 2 or 3 years old. He and Aunt Beru had a conversation and at the end, my uncle said that Tatooine would be the very last place you would ever come. When I woke up from the dream, it was obvious that the Force was showing me that you were concealing yourself here since it was the last place anyone would expect you to be."

He felt a stab of pain from his father at the mention of Shmi Skywalker, but at least Vader remained calm. Apparently that was a reasonable, and palatable, explanation for Luke's presence here.

"Who else knows of my staying here?" his father continued.

"I have told no one."

"Not even your fiery princess?"

Luke firmly controlled the lurch in his heart at the mention of Leia.

"Certainly not. She probably would have felt obligated to report it to Alliance High Command, and I had no wish for that. Nor, to be honest, would she want to know. Our lives are complicated enough without trying to determine what to do about you in committee."

Again, silence fell for a long minute.

"Very well," Vader said finally, "What do you want?"

"Like I said, I just want to talk," Luke responded, "I want to spend some time with you. I would like to know what you are doing here, but of course you will answer questions if you feel like it."

Luke looked to the west. Even after years away from Tatooine, he easily read the signs of an encroaching storm, though it would not be a serious one.

"There is a storm moving in. If you are going to allow me to stay, I should get the X-wing under cover."

Vader projected amusement, "And if I told you to go, would you?"

Luke allowed himself a slight grin, "Well, let's see. It's a sparsely populated planet and we're far enough out that possession is law. So Ben's old hut is all yours. But I can find somewhere nearby to settle in for a while, if necessary."

His father clipped his lightsaber back on his belt, and moved forward.

"By all means stay," he said, "But you need to move your ship. The Tusken Raiders stray over here on occasion, and it would be best if the ship wasn't easily discovered."

Luke nodded and turned back to the ship. R2D2 was sitting in his socket, twittering in distress over his young master's enthusiasm for walking into danger. Luke lifted him down with the Force, and also pulled out a bag of personal items and slung it on his back.

He walked over to the side of the small canyon where he had landed, and surveyed the area in search of a safe place where he could hide the X-wing. Fortunately, he found a small alcove nearby. Using the Force, he lifted the one man fighter into the cavity in the canyon wall and then, with help from his father, covered it with camouflage and sand.

With a nod, he stepped back, "I think that's good enough."

"Indeed," his father replied.

There was a pause, and Vader added, "You showed impressive power and control in moving your ship."

Luke took a deep breath. The compliment warmed his heart, even as his memory flashed back to Bespin.

 _Impressive, most impressive._

Vader had said that directly after Luke had barely avoided being frozen in carbonite. If he hadn't jumped in time…well, he shuddered to think what the result would have been. Would his father really have turned him over to the Emperor? And even if he had not, Luke knew that he was not strong enough at the time to withstand his father's power and dominating spirit.

A few seconds later, and Luke would have been trapped. And when he had been removed from the carbonite, barring a miracle, he would have turned to the Dark Side. Leia would have been left, untrained, to struggle on alone against her father and brother.

He sensed his father's curiosity at the long pause, and forced himself to speak lightly.

"Thanks. I managed to drop her predecessor into a swamp and Master Yoda gave me a hard time about not being able to get her out. So I've been practicing moving X-wings around."

He deliberately mentioned Master Yoda now. Yoda was dead, and safe from his father's aggression. He might as well make it clear who had trained him.

His father had been guiding him towards his own concealed ship, but this remark made him stop.

"Yoda still lives?"

"No, he died 6 months ago, of old age," Luke replied, and then added, "And perhaps a surfeit of Skywalker. I know he found me a frustrating challenge at times."

Vader appeared to be amused by this, and started walking again. Using the Force, he carefully lifted a large piece of rock which had obviously been cut from one of the gigantic boulders that littered the area. Once it was removed, the door to his ship was revealed. The Dark Lord opened the door, stepped aside, and gestured for Luke to enter ahead of him.

Luke took a deep breath and stepped inside. For all that he had made the decision to come here deliberately, it was still hard to turn his back on his father and walk into his lair, so to speak. Years of practice, and constant interactions with bounty hunters and Imperial operatives, had honed his instincts towards escape. He automatically checked exits and thought of getaway strategies in every situation he encountered. For him to walk into this unknown ship, with the only obvious exit blocked by his intimidating Sith Lord sire, took more courage than he expected.

But he did it.

The first chamber was a reasonably large one and clearly was fitted out for lightsaber and combat training. There were no decorations, which allowed Luke to easily see the chamber's design and architecture. It had an interesting style. He turned around slowly, noting the unusual symmetry of the arch into the next room and the unexpected trigonal design of the power couplings.

"I don't recognize the style of this ship," he murmured softly.

There was a pause, and then Vader responded, "It is from Naboo."

His mother's home planet.

Luke nodded, but did not speak. He sensed pain in his father, even when barely touching on a topic related to his mother. His father had displayed his own courage in telling Luke about Padme in the message droid sent via Wedge Antilles.

Vader put a hand out and touched Luke's shoulder. Again, Luke had to suppress a twinge of fear. He had never before allowed Vader to be close enough to touch him. He forced himself to relax, and allowed his father to guide him through a corridor, with closed doors on either side, and into the cockpit of the ship.

The instrumentation here was also of unusual design, and the layout unfamiliar. If he were ever to fly her, he would need some time to familiarize himself. Not that flying her was likely. This ship was his father's current home, and he was in the presence of perhaps the one person in the galaxy who was an even better pilot than he was. If they flew, Vader would be in the driver's seat.

"Please, sit down," Vader said formally.

Luke dropped into the indicated seat, and placed his bag on the floor of the cockpit. To his vague surprise, R2 rolled up next to him. He had been too distracted to notice that R2 had entered the ship after Vader. That was for the best – the jawas were notorious scavengers, and the little droid would not be safe outside.

Vader also lowered himself into a seat, one obviously made for his large frame.

Was his father always that big, Luke wondered? Or did the cybernetics make him even larger than he was as Anakin Skywalker?

"Much as it pleases me to see you, it was unwise of you to come here, my son," Vader said, "I am in the midst of an important project and your presence can only be a distraction."

Luke decided to go for the direct approach, "And does that 'project' involve killing Emperor Palpatine?"

Vader looked at him steadily and said "Yes, it does. The galaxy will not be safe for you until Palpatine is dead."

Luke straightened and clasped his hands together in his lap.

"Father, at Bespin you said my destiny was to destroy the Emperor. My interpretation of that was that you needed my help to kill him. Did I misunderstand?"

He smiled wryly and added, "It was a thoroughly traumatic moment, so I may have gotten confused."

He sensed a wince from Vader at his words, but the Dark Lord responded promptly, "I believe that with sufficient uninterrupted time here on Tatooine, I can make plans such that I have a good chance of killing my master."

Luke nodded, "Perhaps you can. But wouldn't your chances be better if I helped you?"

Vader shook his head firmly, "I don't want you anywhere near him, Luke. You are young, and do not know or understand his abilities. Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor."

"Or suffer your father's fate, you will," Luke finished.

The black helmet tilted forward in apparent bewilderment, and Luke explained, "Those were almost the last words Master Yoda spoke to me before he died. Yes, I know he is strong, but surely together we have a far greater chance of destroying him. And I agree with you, he needs to be eliminated. Why were you so ready to freeze me in carbonite and deliver me to Palpatine a year ago, and now you are not even willing to accept my help when I offer it? Is it because I use the Light Side of the Force?"

Vader's hands curled around the arms of his chair, and Luke felt a sudden shift in the Force, from calm to … not angry, but… anguished, perhaps?

"Luke," his father said suddenly, "Did you mean what you said to that fool of a doctor at Champala?"

Luke leaned forward and gazed directly into his father's mask.

"I said a lot of things, Father. Did I think you despised me? That I embarrassed you? Yes, I did, though I don't anymore. Your holographic message was very reassuring. Do I think you are a tyrant? Yes. Do I love you? Yes. I hate much of what you've done. It breaks my heart that you've spread such destruction across the galaxy. It angers me that you hurt my friends, and me. But through all that, _despite_ all that, I do and always will love you, because you are my father."

When he finished that short, impassioned speech, there was a long pause, and then Vader stood up abruptly and walked to the very front of the ship. The viewscreen was opaque from camouflage material so clearly his father couldn't bear to look at him anymore. Luke's heart beat faster.

Then, "I do not deserve a son like you."

Luke stood up and walked slowly to his father's right side.

"Perhaps you do not," he responded, "But whether you like it or not, you are stuck with me."

Vader turned in surprise and he sensed his father's mood lightening.

"I am privileged to be 'stuck with you' as you term it," Vader replied.

He placed a firm hand on Luke's shoulder, "Son, I don't want to risk your death or worse yet, capture, at Palpatine's hands. It was my weakness, and my actions, that led to his successful ascension to the Imperial throne. Therefore, it is my responsibility to end his reign of terror. My responsibility, not yours."

Luke shook his head, "You spoke of destiny at Bespin, Father. I am not sure I embrace destiny the same way you do, but it seems unwise to think that I do not have a role in defeating Palpatine."

He tilted his head slightly, "And if you do defeat him, what then?"

Vader paused for a long moment, then turned around and sat down. Without looking at his son, he said, "I had intended to take control of the Empire and rule in Palpatine's stead. But now…I do not know. I have had much time for contemplation here."

He looked at Luke, "I lost your mother to my foolishness, to my ambition, to my naivety about Palpatine's ultimate plans. I don't want to lose you too, Luke. You are all I have left. I refuse to put you at serious risk. I will attack Palpatine and I will kill him, and if I die in the process, so be it."

Luke repressed a sigh. He didn't know his father well, but he sensed that Vader was not willing to listen to reason right now.

"We'll leave it at that for now," he said grudgingly, "Is there anything I can do to help you prepare?"

Vader looked at him long and hard, and Luke sensed vague frustration at his refusal to promptly capitulate to his father's high-handed decision.

"Are you good with mechanics?" his father finally asked.

"I can fix anything," Luke replied promptly, then grinned, "Well, almost anything. What do you need help with?"


	13. Chapter 13

_10 days later_

 _Imperial Center (formerly Coruscant)_

 _Imperial Palace Throne Room_

The satisfying noise of a cracking neck was not enough for Emperor Palpatine. While his officer was now merely a corpse, he found considerable pleasure in using the Force to break additional bones from head to toe.

When he had vented enough of his ire, he gestured to his stone faced major domo.

"Take that garbage away," he ordered, and walked slowly to the large transparisteel window to gaze down at the city around him.

Usually the view brought pleasure into his malevolent soul. For it was all his. He had schemed and plotted, he had overthrown the Jedi, he had brought down the Senate and the governments of countless worlds, and he was now Emperor of the known galaxy. Every sentient being on this planet was his, subject to his whims. On most days, these thoughts filled him with vicious pleasure. They had all underestimated him, the 'great' Jedi and leaders of the past. But in the end, the power of the Dark Side had overcome them all.

But today his thoughts were focused again on his errant second in command.

The pathetic officer whose body was even now making its way into the incinerators had brought him no information of value.

Drawing a deep breath into elderly lungs, Palpatine considered the information at hand.

Three months ago, Vader had been ordered to investigate the escape of Prince Listoff on Champala. Vader's report had been brief, and stated that a Rebel agent had successfully infiltrated the psychiatric hospital and freed Listoff.

All seemed relatively normal with his apprentice, though in retrospect Palpatine realized he had (most astonishingly) erred. He had sensed strange currents in the Force for some time, peculiar whorls and undulations in the galactic wide currents of the Force. The shifting was toward the Light Side so, not unreasonably, Darth Sidious had attributed the changes to that tiresome whelp, Luke Skywalker. That _boy_ , in spite of minimal training, was growing very rapidly in power. He was, in fact, becoming rather a problem.

Even before the disaster with Vader.

For disaster it was. One month ago, his apprentice had suddenly _vanished_. It was not entirely unusual for Vader to creep away for a short time to attend to his own pathetic needs, but this time he had vanished in the Force. The bond between them, the bond between Master and Apprentice, was suddenly interrupted one day. Clearly Vader had plotted and planned to perpetrate such a betrayal. It was, Palpatine admitted grudgingly, quite an accomplishment to dissipate the bond without any prior notice.

At the same time, the pride of the Imperial Fleet, the _Executor,_ vanished as well.

Palpatine had unleashed his best agents to investigate his wayward subordinate's bewildering disappearance.

Mara Jade had infiltrated the Imperial garrison in Pentz, on Champala. Her report had been most illuminating.

The "Rebel agent" who had freed Listoff was Luke Skywalker. There were reports of a meeting attended by Vader, two civilian doctors, Commander Binze of the Imperial garrison, and two other officers. Directly after that meeting, Vader had stormed back to his shuttle and returned promptly to the _Executor_.

Within two days of that meeting, the two civilian doctors and Binze were dead at Vader's hands. The other two officers were ordered back to the _Executor_. The rumored recorded interview between the doctor and Skywalker was deleted by Vader's men.

Thus Palpatine had no idea what Skywalker had said in his role as demented psychiatric patient. Whatever it was, it apparently had had a most regrettable effect on his sire.

For Vader had then proceeded to shed some of his men at various Imperial garrisons, stock up the _Executor_ with supplies, sweep the flagship of the Navy for homing beacons (and yes, Palpatine had ordered them installed when she was built – they were now deactivated) and then ordered her to that tiresome prison planet near Ziost.

Five days ago, Palpatine's men had determined that the _Executor_ had stopped at that planet before disappearing. The Emperor's task force found a group of 125 Imperial men, who explained that the Rebellion had evacuated the remaining prisoners and most of the stranded Imperials a week prior. They also said that Vader had clearly indicated he was going to hand the _Executor_ over to the Rebellion. The Rebellion! The _Executor_!

The 125 had refused to depart in loyalty to the Empire.

It was pleasing that at least those men had been honorable enough to accept their fate instead of accepting evacuation by the Rebels for their own selfish reasons.

It was a pity that all 125 had been summarily executed after interrogation, but it had been necessary.

Palpatine couldn't have the details of Vader's rebellion spread around by his apprentice's former officers and men, could he?

Since then, there had been no sign of the _Executor_.

There had been no reports of Vader.

The only positive aspect to this entire disaster was that Vader had not openly announced his defection. So far, the Holonet was quiet concerning the apprentice Sith Lord, so apparently most sentients accepted that Vader was off fulfilling his master's will in some distant quadrant of the galaxy.

Still, there were reports of upticks in Rebel recruiting. In addition, disquieting rumors were spreading about a substantial increase of Alliance purchasing of weapons and supplies on the black market.

Was it possible that Vader had funneled secret funding to the Alliance?

Regrettably, it was all too likely.

With a huff of irritation, Palpatine creakily walked back to his throne and lowered himself into it.

There were times when the ages wore heavily on him. He had tremendous power, but it was true that the Dark Side did not lend itself to personal healing.

Though where Vader was concerned, that might be for the best. His apprentice was perhaps the most powerful being in the Force in the last thousand years, and the injuries of Mustafar had kept him in line. If Vader was whole, he might have destroyed Palpatine ten years ago.

On the other hand, perhaps not. Vader, while intelligent, was not a subtle man. Indeed, his master had been able to anticipate most of his actions since back when his apprentice was still Anakin Skywalker.

If he was honest with himself, though, Palpatine had to admit that he had underestimated the effect of the young Skywalker on Vader's psyche. It was ironic that Anakin Skywalker's devotion to his wife had pulled him to the Dark Side, and now his attachment to his son was (possibly) pulling him back to the Light.

Palpatine had not thought such a thing was possible, truly. Sith Lords did not turn back to the pathetic Light! But how else to explain those strange alterations in the Force?

He shook his head in irritation.

"Everyone, leave me!" he snapped, "And do not disturb me until I call."

The Emperor's Guards filed out, and his major domo as well.

The Throne Room was now silent and empty save for himself.

Darth Sidious took a deep, cleansing breath and leaned back. What he was about to do was risky. To dive headlong into the Force, to thrust himself into the dark energies, would take great power. It was certainly not beyond his personal capacities, but it would leave him somewhat weakened. If Vader chose this hour to attack, he would be limited in his ability to respond.

But…he stretched out his Force sense…there was no danger nearby. He was certain. All was well. Guards were in place. Vader might try to shield himself, but he could not get close without being sensed.

So yes, the time was right.

He leaned back, and closed his eyes.

For twenty long minutes, his mind focused in on his rage and hatred for Darth Vader. How dare his servant treat him so? He had plucked him out of the cesspool of foolish Jedi ideology. He had chosen him, Anakin Skywalker, former slave, as his own apprentice. There were many others to choose from (admittedly, none nearly as strong in the Force, but still) and he chose Vader!

And now, his servant had cast aside his master of 24 years for the sake of a blond guttersnipe. Admittedly the boy was Vader's flesh and blood, but that should not matter! Since when did Sith Lords consider others above themselves? Power was the ultimate goal.

If Vader had sought to topple his master in a straight forward manner, for ambition, for position, for power, Palpatine would have understood it. Perhaps even, at some level, approved of it -even as he would have brought his apprentice to his knees to show that Sidious was still master. But this was outrageous.

And, admittedly, quite concerning. If Vader was willing to sacrifice personal advancement for the sake of Luke Skywalker, he might approach a confrontation with Palpatine in an unusual way. A way that might lead to Vader's death as well. A Darth Vader willing to die in battle was even more intimidating than a typical Darth Vader.

The extra edge of fear from that thought stoked the powers of the Dark Side. Palpatine was ready.

He turned his mind towards the galaxy, in all its glory and power. The stars, the constellations, swirled in his mind's eye.

Carefully, cautiously, gently, he searched in all directions for the now dormant thread between himself and his apprentice. Yes, Vader had sought to cut the tie completely. But perhaps some ephemeral ghost of it remained? He didn't need to be able to enter into Vader's mind, he just needed to know where he was. If he could find Vader, he would send a thousand troops, ten thousand, a million to capture or kill him. No, kill him. The time for delay was over. Much as he would have enjoyed destroying Vader slowly, piece by piece, Palpatine's own personal safety was at risk now.

And once Vader was dead, he would redouble his pursuit of the young one. Luke Skywalker was strong in the Force – perhaps, incredibly enough, as strong as his father. With Vader dead, the boy would be left defenseless. It would be a true pleasure to corrupt that shining light in the Force.

Ah, there it was! The thread was there, glimmering and wafting in his Force vision. It was pointing towards a particular cluster of stars and while he did not recognize it, not yet, if he moved forward, if he followed the thread, he was confident he would find the location of his errant servant.

Palpatine smiled.

Indeed, the stars were growing brighter and closer as he followed the frail filament...

But what was this? Something was blotting out some of the points of light – indeed, the thread between master and former servant was suddenly obstructed by … something.

In his vision, he approached it – a formless darkness which transformed into a cloaked figure, which turned to face him, lifted its hood, and revealed the calm face of that precocious imp, Luke Skywalker.

Palpatine would have laughed if he hadn't been so furious. Skywalker? That boy? Seeking to block Darth Sidious's path to his father? Yes, the boy had potential but this was _absurd_.

Visions were strange things. He reached out one clawed hand and attempted to blast the boy with Force Lightening, but nothing happened.

He drifted closer in space. Skywalker gazed at him with eerie calm, but with determination in his eyes.

"I will not let you pass," he said resolutely.

Sidious snarled.

"You have no chance of stopping me, _boy_."

Skywalker smiled and looked to his right.

To Palpatine's amazement, another figure, also cloaked, moved to Skywalker's right side. He (or possibly she?) clasped hands with Skywalker. The figure wore a glove on the left hand, even as Skywalker wore a glove on his prosthetic right hand. Both raised their hands towards Palpatine.

"Be gone from here," Skywalker said firmly.

And then, to Sidious's astonishment, dismay, and humiliation, he found himself being hurtled backwards through the galaxy, hurtled backwards in space and time, through vortexes and kaleidoscope visions of light and dark, to find himself, breathing heavily, in his Throne Room in Coruscant.


	14. Chapter 14

_The confrontation with Palpatine from Luke's perspective_

 _And other stuff_

With a groan, Luke Skywalker collapsed onto the mattress in the combat hold of his father's ship.

The last 10 days had certainly been _interesting_. The first day had been a stressful dance between his father's obvious attachment to his Rebel son mixed with Vader's anxiety over any number of topics. Luke wasn't much of a diplomat, but thankfully his (secret) sister had rubbed off on him to the point that he had pirouetted through conversational mine fields with relative grace. So far, he had discovered that topics concerning 1.) Padme 2.) Bespin 3.)Tatooine 4.) slavery and 5.) Hutts were apt to provoke a negative emotional response from Vader. It was also clear that at times, Luke reminded his father of Padme, and Padme was the most sensitive subject of all.

To both their relief, they had found considerable common ground discussing ships and mechanics. Luke had been surprised, as a child and teenager, at how _dense_ Uncle Owen was about mechanical things. Once he was in the Alliance, he had discovered that he was truly gifted, as gifted as Chewbacca the Wookie in taking things apart and putting them back together. He now knew he'd inherited those gifts honestly. Vader was amazing. They had spent a happy two hours tearing apart a malfunctioning atmospheric regulator on the Nabooian ship, and when they were done it was better than new.

Rather to Luke's surprise, by Day 4 of their meeting on Tatooine, he felt ready to spar with lightsabers. They had started outside in front of Ben's house, with the light of the first sun shining down to provide necessary visual input of the terrain, but before the temperatures soared high. The space behind him was open, so he knew he wouldn't feel trapped.

The reality turned out to be challenging. The first time they'd turned on their weapons, Luke had felt such a surge of terror that he had retreated a few steps without thinking. Vader had immediately turned off his saber, and projected such horrified guilt that Luke had rallied.

The ensuing conversation had been both cathartic and painful, as Vader had apologized and Luke had forgiven. His father's heartbroken regret made it clear that yes, his father was changing by the day. Where he was in the spectrum of Light Side and Dark Side wasn't clear, but it was obvious that Vader's soul was brightening. After their difficult conversation, and in the spirit of 'getting back on the dewback after it has thrown you', Luke and his father had sparred. The conclusion, discussed amiably afterwards, was that Luke had improved a great deal. His father was still the master, but Luke was closing ground fast. Furthermore, Vader had given Luke some valuable pointers about fighting style. For all that Bespin had been incredibly traumatic, Luke Skywalker was a natural fighter and he had learned much from Vader even as he was pummeled black and blue. That last fight on the catwalk had ended with Luke losing a limb, but he had gotten one strike on his father's right shoulder. With difficulty, they managed to discuss even that traumatic event, and Luke learned why he had been able to punch through his father's defenses.

Another important reality was that Vader's large body, powerful prosthetics, and limited flexibility meant that his fighting style was not necessarily best suited for his smaller, more pliable son.

It was during this, and subsequent, sparring sessions that Vader had introduced Luke to the intimidating reality of Force Lightening. Once Luke understood the issues surrounding Force Lightening in general, and its particular effects on his father's cybernetic body, he had thrown himself into the process of working out how to best help his father survive the anticipated confrontation with Palpatine. R2D2 had proven useful as well, as he had assisted them in mapping out Vader's prosthetics electronically so that they could reroute wires and install components to better resist Palpatine's debilitating attack.

R2 had even provided a reasonable facsimile of Force Lightening while they sparred, hurling random bolts at Vader while Luke, at R2's side, fought with one hand. Vader said the Emperor was actually capable of dueling with one hand and hurling Force Lightening with the other. Truly an intimidating prospect. Luke studied and meditated, determined to learn all he could in preparation for his own confrontation with the Emperor, if it every became necessary.

And so the days went by, filled with cautious conversations and tinkering and sparring and other forms of Force training. Vader clearly had no intention or desire to teach his son Dark Side techniques, which was fortunate as that was Luke's line in the sand.

On the 10th day, their sparring was particularly grueling. Luke and R2 also did some maintenance on the X-wing, and were out in the intense heat of midday.

So that night, he was exhausted. It was an incredible relief to collapse in his bed, with his father's (now) comforting presence in the nearby hyperbaric chamber.

His last thought, as he slipped into dreams, was to wonder what his father looked like behind the mask.

His first thought once he fell asleep was, "Oh no, not again!"

He was clearly in some kind of Force vision. He looked down at himself with trepidation, but he seemed to be his current age. At least he wasn't ridiculously _cute_.

He turned around. He was standing on hard ground, in a valley, surrounded by hilly, rocky terrain. He didn't see any vegetation. It might be Tatooine, but then again it might be somewhere else. The sun (or suns) had set, giving him a twilight image of the place with few details. And Force visions were weird. He might be somewhere entirely imaginary.

With a sigh, he turned some more and observed a large hole in the in the vertical rock face to his right. Inside was a glimmer of light, and he sensed a presence there.

He stepped through the hole, which was tall enough for him, and into a large chamber. The floor was uneven rock, the walls had strange dark blue and tan designs on it, and in the middle of the floor sat a young man, crosslegged, dressed in black robes, with a glowing power cell in front of him. The cell provided both light and minimal heat.

Luke stepped forward cautiously. The young man looked vaguely familiar for some reason – longish dark blond locks, a handsome face, a scar above his eye. But where had he seen him?

The man stood up at his entrance and bowed slightly, "Hello, Luke."

Luke had that horrified feeling he sometimes got when someone recognized him (he was rather famous) but he didn't recognize the other person. He caught himself. This was a Force Vision. No reason to be embarrassed.

"Do I know you?" he asked directly.

The man smiled sadly, "I'm your father, Luke. I'm Anakin."

Luke's mouth dropped open.

This was his father? He was young, and handsome, and strong. And tall.

After a moment, Luke chuckled slightly.

Anakin smiled as well, "What's funny?"

"You're tall," his son responded, "I wondered if you were naturally tall or if it was the prosthetics. But yeah, you're tall. Was Mother short? I presume I got my height from somewhere."

"Yes," Anakin nodded, and a shadow crossed his expressive face, "Yes, she was. A firebrand, though. I saw Hutts and Trade Federation representatives and corrupt Senators quail before her, when she was in the right mood."

Anakin sighed, "She was absolutely wonderful – kind, sympathetic, brave, a champion of the oppressed – she was my Angel. I never deserved her love, but she gave it freely to me."

Luke paused in sympathetic silence, then asked, carefully, "So what are we doing here? Are we sharing a vision?"

Anakin tilted his head to one side thoughtfully, "I'm not sure. I mean, yes, we are sharing a vision but I don't know why. I'm not sure I'm even consciously participating. I mean, Darth Vader isn't consciously participating. He's in a meditation trance."

Luke groaned audibly, "This is very confusing. Are you Darth Vader, or not? I mean, Ben said that when you became Vader, the 'good man that was your father was destroyed.' I don't believe that, but what is it like? I'm seeing you as Anakin. Are you buried in there somewhere? In Vader? Are you sort of a duel personality?"

Anakin walked closer to Luke, frowning thoughtfully. Up close, the commonality in their features was even more apparent. It was an amazing feeling, to see the face of the father from whom he came. Leia probably looked like…but no, he mustn't think about Leia.

"No," his father said finally, "It is not like that. I know that what I have done as Vader has horrified you, and rightly so, my son. The truth is, that in my case anyway, I have perpetrated horrors based on what seemed good reasons at the time. I turned to the Dark Side in a vain attempt to save your mother from dying in childbirth."

"What?" Luke demanded.

Anakin put up a hand, "That's a long story, and I think it better to discuss it in the real world, not here. My point is this, Vader and Anakin were always there together. I have the capability to do great good, and great harm. For the last 20 years it has been harm, but until recently I, Vader, really believed that the galaxy would be a better place if under the control of a strong, centralized leader."

Luke grimaced, "Well, we've had that in Palpatine."

"Yes, but I thought that Palpatine was the problem, not the system itself."

Anakin now turned around and walked slowly around the edge of the chamber, contemplating the geometric designs mysteriously covering the walls.

"I thought I could make it better, I really did," he said soberly, "Especially with you at my side.

"I think I was wrong. I still wonder at times. The last days of the Old Republic were a mess of conflicting factions and immoral compromises and war…though Palpatine instigated many of the problems."

He took a deep breath and turned back to Luke, "But don't imagine Darth Vader as some avenging spirit that 'took over' Anakin Skywalker. I'm afraid the darkness was always within me, and perhaps always will be. I can only hope that through your love and my own determination, I can change enough to do what is right for you, and for the galaxy."

Luke stared intently at Anakin Skywalker, seeking to memorize his face.

"Well," he said in a lighter tone, "You should do meditation trances more often. I'm enjoying getting to talk to you without the mask."

Anakin's brow wrinkled again, "The odd thing is that I often sink into meditation trances, nearly every night actually. So I don't know why tonight…?"

In that instant, both of them sensed a new presence, a malevolent spirit approaching the cave rapidly. They spun towards the door.

"What is that?" Luke asked tensely.

Anakin paled slightly (odd that he could, in a Force Vision, Luke thought abstractedly.)

"It is my Master, the Emperor. He is trying to find me."

Luke shot a quick glance at his father, "Can he do that?"

"I do not know, my son," Anakin replied, "I cut the Force Bond between us but he is powerful, he may be able to find the tattered remains of the Bond and follow it to Tatooine. Luke, if he does find me, promise you will leave. He will unleash an army to destroy me, and you must not be caught in the crossfire."

"I won't let him find you," Luke said with determination.

"Luke, you don't know his power. Please, wake up from the Vision, don't expose yourself to him. It is too soon."

Luke shook his head hard, "Don't you see, Father, this is why we are meeting tonight in this vision! So I can stop him. You stay here and if I need you, I'll call for help. Otherwise, stay back. Maybe if he 'sees' you in the vision, he'll be able to identify where you are."

Quickly, before his father could protest, Luke stepped to the cave entrance and halted in the middle, effectively barring the beast as it appeared.

And 'beast' it was. In some ways, it looked like a greater krayt dragon, but with additional spines on the legs and what looked like leathery wings. Rather a confused looking beast, Luke thought.

"I will not let you pass," he said resolutely.

The beast hissed and spat what looked like fire, though it didn't even come close to Luke's body. Nor did he feel heat.

"You have no chance of stopping me, _boy_ ," the creature hissed in outrage.

Luke drew his Force power around himself. He was determined that Palpatine, this Sith Lord, who had kept his father enslaved for so many years, would not get past him. On the other hand, was he truly strong enough to ward off the power of the Emperor himself?

There was a sudden warm, loving presence to his right, and he turned his head in surprise and delight. A small cloaked figure was standing with him now, holding out a gloved left hand. Luke clasped the hand with his own prosthetic, suddenly filled with the surging Force power of the Skywalker Twin Bond.

"Be gone from here," he said firmly.

The dragon hissed and sputtered, even as it shrank, twitching and writhing in dismay and surprise, until it vanished completely.

The hood fell from the figure's head, revealing the lovely face of his sister.

"Le…" he exclaimed.

"…ia!" he finished as he woke up in the shuttle. He sat up suddenly. His sister was on Tatooine.

 ** _Author Notes: Thank you again for all those kind enough to follow and review. I'm enjoying writing it and it is a true pleasure to know people enjoy reading it._**


	15. Chapter 15

Darth Vader lurched out of his meditation trance in an unusual state of near panic.

He was bombarded with staccato images and feelings, of a cave, of himself, young and without armor, of strange art on rocky walls. Luke was there! And then the hideous presence of Darth Sidious had approached. What had happened to his son? Did his master know where he was?

He forced himself to calm down and breathe deeply of the oxygenated air in his hyperbaric chamber, even as he used the Force to replace his helmet. He rose quickly to his feet, and reached out with his senses. Luke was in the next room of the ship, and while excited, did not seem distressed. Palpatine – Palpatine's specter was no longer present. The Bond was still broken between them.

He opened the door and stepped through into the combat chamber, where Luke had created his own tidy, personal space in one corner. Luke was standing in the center of the room, gazing at the holoscreens on the port side.

Vader looked as well. The photosensors he had placed at the entrance to the canyon that led to Kenobi's old hut showed life forms approaching.

"We have visitors?" he inquired.

Luke nodded, then turned to look straight at his father, "Yes. Leia and Han."

Vader froze, stricken by a sudden sense of betrayal, "You told me you didn't tell them where you were going."

His accusation came out harshly, and Luke winced, even as he stepped even closer to his father.

(Amazing, that. He had watched the bravest of men turn heel and run when Vader was angry. Luke, instead of fleeing, deliberately moved closer.)

"I promise you I did not tell them, Father," he said firmly.

Vader could tell his son spoke the truth, and felt a twinge of guilt. Luke had extended such trust in him to come here. The least he could do was to express his own confidence in the young Jedi's truthfulness.

Before he could apologize for his words, Luke turned back and looked at the screen, while adding, "But Leia is smart. She obviously figured out I came here, though I don't know how."

Luke shot a suspicious look at R2D2.

"Did you give her our flight plan, R2?"

R2D2 beeped indignantly. While the little droid was notorious for being an independent thinker, Vader was fairly certain he was innocent.

Luke shook his head, "Well, at any rate, she's here now. I'll go out and meet them and we'll talk in the hut. You can watch and listen through the holocam in there."

He gazed at his father directly, "Han and Leia are my _very best friends_ , Father. Please do not harm them."

Vader nodded quickly and extended a gentle hand to touch his son's shoulder, "I promise you that I intend no injury towards them. For now, I suggest you not tell them I am here."

Luke sighed, "I won't deceive them and indeed I'm guessing they already know, but it would be best if we talked before interacting with you. You will be watching the cams so you can decide when to introduce yourself."

He stepped towards the door, then turned around, "Han may shoot at you. Fair warning."

Vader sighed, then nodded, "I understand, Son."

The young Jedi swiftly left by the front entrance, removing, then replacing, the rock covering the main door so Vader's ship remained entirely concealed. Vader switched to another holocam, one mounted such that he could see the area in front of Obi-wan's hut. While there was no sound from this cam, he could watch the reunion as it unfolded.

It was not a long time in coming. A few minutes after Luke exited the ship, a speeder bike approached with 2 sentients on board. Luke stood in front of the hut, waiting, until both riders swung off the bike. Vader easily recognized the two as the Corellian smuggler Han Solo, and the Princess of Alderaan, Leia Organa. The princess raced forward and jumped into his son's arms, even as Luke spun her around and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Vader's scarred forehead wrinkled somewhat painfully as he contemplated the scene. He had noticed that Luke carefully avoided talking of Leia Organa with him. Was he in love with her? And if so, how did Han Solo fit into the situation? It was beyond the realm of possibility that the aristocratic princess could prefer that Corellian scum over Luke, but on the other hand, Master Yoda might have filled the boy's head with the ridiculous "no attachment" rules of the Old Order.

Though anyone privileged to watch their interactions would know they were attached. Romance or not, Luke and Princess Leia were obviously very close friends.

Very close friends.

Vader shook his head in bewilderment. He could sense Luke's joy at seeing Organa, but there was a strange counter wave in the Force. The Princess was projecting her own delight, and Vader could feel it! How odd.

Solo approached the two now, and gave the younger man a quick hug. The three stood talking for a few minutes, and then Luke gestured to them to enter Obi-wan's hut. Vader stiffened with interest. He would be able to hear their conversation now.

"…High Command has been breathing down my neck for the last week about where you'd disappeared to, Luke," Princess Leia said as they entered the hut, "So finally Han and I decided we had to go find you since you showed no signs of reappearing after going AWOL."

Luke moved to the kitchen area of the hut, and reappeared with 2 glasses of water, which he gave to Solo and Organa. They took the glasses with gratitude and drank the water quickly. Vader's own throat ached in vicarious sympathy. Tatooine's parched wasteland had to be experienced to be truly understood.

"I have gone AWOL before without High Command getting really upset," his son responded, "and for a lot longer than this."

"Yes, but this time, my dear," Leia responded, "you wandered off with your right eye, which was quite rude of you."

Luke blinked at her in bewilderment, "What?"

"Retinal scan, Kid," Solo chimed in, "You know, that wonderful survey of your eye which lets the Alliance get access to the pile of money your Old Man left you?"

Luke looked surprised, "You mean there is more? I accessed 3 billion before I left."

"And there is another 2.7 billion waiting," Organa said with a wry smile,"2.7 billion. Everyone is drooling like a Hutt over it – just sitting there in various accounts, inaccessible, because their lone Jedi Knight decided to skip off to visit his daddy."

"You didn't tell them about that, did you?" Luke said worriedly.

"Of course not," Organa responded. (Vader relaxed slightly, then wondered why he knew instantly the Princess was telling the truth. She usually shielded very well around him, but he seemed to picking up an echo of her thoughts through Luke.)

"Truthfully," she added, "I had no idea he was here until we landed. I assumed from the vision that you had come to search for information about his time here on Tatooine, and got caught up in your research and lost track of time. You have been known to do that sort of thing."

Vader frowned, as did Luke.

"What vision?" Luke demanded.

"You know," the princess replied, "The one where you were a cute toddler eating a cookie and dribbling water in the sand. Where your aunt and uncle were talking about your grandmother and Anakin Skywalker. _Tha_ t vision."

Luke's face took on a look of total wonder, "I didn't tell you about that."

"No, you didn't," Leia Organa replied, "But I was apparently joined with you telepathically and saw the whole thing. I have this vague memory of you reaching out to me through the Force right before then, and apparently the link stayed open."

Luke actually gaped in astonishment.

"We should write a holobook," he said, "This is amazing stuff. Inconvenient and annoying at times, but amazing. You didn't mention all this before I left."

"You didn't mention it either," the princess replied, skewering his son with a glance.

Luke looked slightly abashed, "It seemed less complicated to not tell you where I was heading. But if you saw the vision, why didn't you expect him to be here?"

"Why would he be here? 'Last place' is what your uncle said. If it was the last place Anakin Skywalker would go, why would you expect to find Vader here?"

"Wasn't it obvious? He wanted to hide from Palpatine, so he hid here."

Princess Leia shook her head, "Not obvious to me. But that's fine. The less I understand the mental processes of Darth Vader, the better. And speaking of his lordship, is he going to grace us with his presence? He's watching all this, you said?"

Luke gestured at the holocam, "Yes, he is."

A telepathic message formed in Vader's mind

 _"_ _Father, would you like to join us?"_

 _"_ _I'm will be there shortly_ ," he sent back.

Vader shook his head in total bewilderment, and rapidly left his ship and walked toward the hut. The minute that it took wasn't nearly long enough for him to sufficiently cogitate over the puzzling contents of this last conversation. Was Princess Leia Organa a Force sensitive? That would explain her remarkable abilities to withstand…interrogation, and mind probes. But how had he missed it?

He stepped through the door and all three occupants fell silent. He noted that Luke stood between the front door and his friends, and Organa and Solo were standing near the door to the kitchen, where a back door led into the outside. It was of course foolish to imagine that running would help them if Vader attacked, but it was a natural enough impulse.

There was a long, awkward pause.

Vader broke it, "Princess Leia, Captain Solo, it is…surprising to see you here."

"Well, we're surprised too, your lordship," Solo said with narrowed eyes, "surprised, irritated and certainly not honored. You are not anyone's idea of an enjoyable host, as we found out at Bespin."

"The displeasure is all mine, Captain," Vader responded in kind. What did his son see in this Corellian pirate?

He continued coldly, "You were certainly not invited, and are welcome to leave immediately if you pledge not to tell anyone in either the Alliance or the Empire about my whereabouts. But perhaps that is too much to expect."

"We will tell them exactly what we choose to, Lord Vader," the princess sputtered back, eyes snapping, "We do not, and never will, take orders from _you_."

Luke stepped forward and lifted conciliating hands between the verbally sparring parties.

"Han, Leia," he turned to Vader, "Father…I think the most important thing to focus on now is Palpatine's attempt to find you."

He looked straight into his father's eyes (and Vader still had no idea how he did that), "Do you remember the vision last night when we talked in that cave?"

Vader paused. Pieces were coming back, fragments of a warm yet surreal conversation with his son, followed by memories of the icy darkness of his master's Force presence approaching.

"I don't remember it all, but I remember that you foolishly went out to try to block him. What happened?"

He was truly fearful now. Palpatine could even now be marshalling troops to destroy Tatooine across every square kilometer of livable land. If the Emperor had flushed him out, he must leave, Luke must leave, immediately.

"I stopped him," Luke said carefully, "He didn't find you."

Vader tilted his head. Luke was clearly concealing something.

"Well, I helped," the princess remarked calmly.

Luke shot a glance at her, and asked, "Leia, are you sure?"

She nodded firmly, "Yes, because that's part of what we need to talk about, right? Whether Palpatine knows about me? And if he does, then _he_ might as well know too."

She tilted her head at Vader

Luke sighed, stepped closer to his father, and stared directly into his eyes.

Vader was aware of the power of the Force building and swirling around him. Something momentous was about to be disclosed, but he had no idea what.

"Father," Luke said gently, "I'm going to tell you something, and you will probably be upset about it. Keep in mind that this hut is not rock solid, so if you start a localized earthquake, it could all cave in on us. I'd rather that didn't happen."

He now turned and looked at his Rebel companions, "And if things do start shaking, just head out the back entrance and I'll meet up with you, Ok?"

They both nodded. The princess looked perturbed, and Solo uncharacteristically solemn.

Luke took a deep breath, "Father, Padme- Mother- bore you twins."

Vader's mind froze in complete shock. There was a second child?

After a stunned moment, his mind starting moving forward in fits and starts. A kaleidoscope of images filled his memory, of Padme with womb filled with child, of her beautiful face and her regal hair, standing by that pillar on Coruscant, telling him of her pregnancy. Of them sharing a bed, with his hand draped over her pregnant womb. Of his nightmares of her dying in childbirth.

The other one. It must have been a daughter. He had been so sure Padme was carrying a girl, even as she had been confident the child was a boy. And they had both been right.

There was something incredibly obvious in front of him, hammering at his mind, but he just couldn't see it, couldn't grasp it, couldn't think.

He had choked Padme. Had the other one died? Was Luke dealing with the horrifying trauma of losing a sibling to his hands?

"Your sister, did she live?"

He hardly recognized his own voice through the vocoder.

Luke stepped even closer and put gentle hands on his father's arms.

"Father, Leia is my twin sister."

Vader's shocked gaze swung to the princess of Alderaan. She stood there boldly, without trembling, her chin lifted defiantly, her eyes smoldering with some powerful emotion.

He gasped, and then almost choked as his mechanized breathing fought to maintain its steady rhythm.

How often had he seen Padme stand just so, with her chin lifted, with defiance in her eyes as she had faced off against corrupt politicians and assassins alike.

How could he have missed it? Leia Organa, his daughter, was the very image of Padme Amidala.

Like a tide rolling back, the shock of new awareness faded, to be replaced by horrifying memories – of a young princess cowering in a darkened cell, with an interrogator droid moving forward.

Of his own hands, covered in black gloves, cruelly holding her in place as truth drugs were injected into her body.

Of her screams of physical anguish.

Of her tide of grief at the destruction of Alderaan.

Of her intense sorrow at Bespin, watching Solo lowered into the carbonite pit.

And then the images started mingling, between Padme and Leia, both in harsh red light, both with horrified eyes as he moved to destroy all that they loved.

His self-hatred took over his mind and body, and he spiraled into darkness. He was only slightly aware of Luke's hands on his arms, calling to him, his son's attempts through the Force to lift him out of his pit of despair.

A new voice joined his son's words now, "Anakin, really now, I understand your distress but destroying my house isn't remotely helpful, is it?"

The shock of that familiar voice broke through his cocoon of torment, and he raised his head to fix his gaze on the blue figure now standing to one side of his son.

"Obi-wan?"


	16. Chapter 16

A stray piece of broken masonry flew through the space where Obi-wan stood, missing Luke by only 10 cm. Luke flinched, but held his ground.

"Two children," Vader roared at the ghost (the ghost?) of his former master, "You hid two of them from me. How could you, Kenobi?"

Kenobi's image dissipated for a few seconds, then reappeared, seated comfortable on a rather dilapidated chair in the corner.

"I'm sorry, Anakin," he said soothingly.

"Sorry?" Vader snarled, hurling another piece of rock at Kenobi's ghost, "Sorry?"

The rock passed through Obi-wan's ephemeral form, smashing the chair and breaking it into pieces.

Luke broke in to his father's tantrum, "Father, please! Please calm down."

Vader looked at his son, and felt an additional knife thrust of shame for his lack of self-control . A glance around showed that the hut was looking worse for wear after his Force frenzy, and he was thankful to see that Luke had not been injured.

He forced himself to rein in both his self-loathing and his anger at Kenobi. At the moment, he felt too much outrage to even question why Kenobi was here. He'd never heard of such a thing as coming back in non-corporeal form. But obviously his thoroughly infuriating former master had managed it.

He turned to the ghost, speaking with gritty calm, "It was bad enough you left my son to grow up on this pathetic, sandblasted, Force forsaken rock. But my daughter? How could you have allowed her to be involved in the Rebel Alliance? You must have known what could happen…"

He felt himself choking up. He was responsible for his own daughter's torture, and he knew it. He wanted to condemn Obi-wan, desperately wanted to convince himself that Kenobi was at fault, but he was to blame for his blindness. How had he missed Leia's Force presence? How could he have overlooked how much his daughter resembled Padme?

Kenobi's form stood up and walked closer. The visage was that of the old man, the one who had died on the Death Star, but through the lens of age were the familiar eyes and air of the man who had once been his closest friend.

"Anakin, Vader," he said gently, "I realize all of this is a tremendous shock. I also acknowledge that we put Leia in more danger than we realized by placing her with the Organas. I truly did not expect Bail to allow her to take such a public role in the Senate. It was, in my view, unwise, but I was not able to interfere."

"My father couldn't have stopped me if he'd wanted to," a new voice announced.

All turned to look at Princess Leia, who stepped out of the kitchen area with her Corellian following closely. Apparently the two of them had retreated to the kitchen for safety, but had not elected to flee the building.

She gave a cool, firm look at Vader, then looked at Obi-wan, "My father Bail did protest, but I was determined to do something with my life beyond dressing up for fancy parties and having my hair done. Did you really expect anything less from the daughter of Padme Amidala?"

Obi-wan approached her and looked straight into her eyes, "I should have expected no less, certainly. You are indeed your mother's daughter."

"Well, I'm glad to hear I take more after her than him," she said with a venomous glance at her biological father.

"Um, excuse me," Solo suddenly said, "But who are you talking to, Leia?"

His bewildered comment made Luke smile slightly, and Leia look contrite.

"I'm sorry, Han," she said with a fond look at the former pirate," Obi-wan Kenobi's Force ghost is here. I guess you can't see him?"

Solo looked at Luke, as if for confirmation, who nodded.

"As if you Force sensitives weren't weird enough," Solo grumbled, "Now we have to cope with _ghosts_?"

"I trust we won't have to cope with this particular ghost for long," Vader said angrily, "Get out of here, Kenobi. I have no desire to hear your excuses or platitudes for destroying my family."

Kenobi sighed and shook his ethereal head, "I'm afraid it isn't time for me to leave, Anakin. I've been trying to manifest since you arrived here, but only with the presence of both your children do I have the power to do so. And we do need to talk. Either now, or later, but I will not leave until you listen to me."

Vader's eyes widened. There were few things worse than the prospect of a determined Force ghost wandering around plaguing him until he agreed to talk.

He glanced at Luke, who was looking at Obi-wan affectionately. He could tell that his son certainly wanted to talk with the man who had been master to both of them.

He heaved a sigh, "Very well, Kenobi. Say what you will. I do not promise to stand around listening to it all."

Solo spoke up, "If this is going to be a long soliloquy by a guy I can't hear, I'd like a drink. Any chance I could break into your ship and find something alcoholic, Lord Vader?"

Luke chuckled, and Princess Leia tilted her head up to give Solo a quick kiss on the lips.

A sudden, horrible reality assaulted Vader - his daughter was in love with this vexatious pirate. He had of course observed their intimacy at Bespin, but it had been a moment of crisis. Rather like Geonosis…

Luke gestured towards the trap door into the underground cellar.

"There should be Corellian ale in there, Han. We stowed some down there in case we had to bring you back here after rescuing you from Jabba."

Solo disappeared through the hole, Kenobi moved to one side of the room, faced the assembled Skywalker clan, and began speaking.

"When you twins were born," he began, "Master Yoda and I were startled by how different your Force presences were, even as newborns. Luke, you were like a shining beacon in the Force, a star ready to go nova. Leia, while we didn't know the extent of your Force abilities, you naturally shielded right away. I suspect that Luke's Force sense covered you in the womb, which is why no one was aware your mother was carrying twins.

"That was the primary reason why we hid you here on Tatooine, Luke. We thought your father would almost certainly not return to the planet of his youth. I stayed here nearby, shielding you so that Palpatine would not sense the fluctuation you were causing in the Force, even then. It was merely a ripple when you were a child, but he might well have picked up on it.

"Leia," he turned to the princess, "One of the Force sensitives who evaded Order 66 was able to travel surreptitiously to Alderaan and spent a few critical days training you. You likely don't remember it. You were all of 3 years old."

Leia's brow furrowed, "I do have some vague memory, actually. She…it was a she, correct? A Togruta? We worked together while under one of the great trees at my mother's country estate. Though it felt more like play than work."

Vader froze. A Togruta? Possibly Ahsoka Tano?

Kenobi apparently picked up on his thoughts, because he gave his former padawan a warning look and said, "We can talk about her at a later time. But yes, she trained you, and I heard later that even at that young age, you were truly remarkable at shielding, better than anyone she had ever met. Apparently, you…"

He trailed away, apparently at a loss for words.

Luke chimed in, "..took to it like a dianoga to a garbage compactor."

Leia shot an irritated look at her twin, and said, "What a lovely simile for my truly remarkable ability, brother mine. "

Luke grinned at her, "Hey, just keeping those royal feet on the ground."

"We do take our varied responsibilities to you very seriously," Solo chimed in, who had climbed out of the cellar with a bottle of something pale blue in his hand.

Vader felt a sudden ache in his chest. He didn't know much about fatherhood, about being a parent, but how he wished he could have laughed with his children, teased them, been a part of their lives.

More brusquely than intended, he said, "Perhaps Kenobi can continue his monologue? I don't have all day."

Luke shot him a thoughtful look, then looked at Obi-wan.

Kenobi picked up his tale, now looking at Vader, "Anakin, Vader, whatever you choose to call yourself – based on your reaction to learning about Luke, I am willing to concede we may have erred. I truly thought you were completely lost, and Master Yoda did as well. And yet, from the moment you discovered that your son was alive, your presence in the Force began to shift, though it was so slight that we were inclined to discount it. Your wife, dear Padme, on her deathbed, said there was still good in you. It is obvious that she was right."

Vader wondered how many more emotional upheavals he could handle before he broke down sobbing. To hear about Padme was almost too much.

The rest of the hut, and its occupants, seemed to fade away.

"Obi-w…," he started to say, but his voice cracked such that vocoder spat out strange static.

He waited through 2 more breathing cycles, and tried again.

"Obi-wan, how did Padme die?"

He waited with near terror. He had 'known' for 20 years, then had cause to doubt the story he'd been told. But what had really happened to his precious wife?

Kenobi moved closer to him, with compassion in his eyes, "We don't really know, Anakin. The events of Mustafar were traumatic, both physically and emotionally. The birth was difficult. She had lost much of what she had to live for. Nevertheless, we don't know. The med-droids said there was no physical reason for her decline, but she died anyway, within minutes of Leia's birth. She lived long enough to name the babies and express her love and confidence in you."

Vader felt his prosthetic fingers dig into his hands. The feedback loops allowed for a facsimile of pain, and he was thankful as it kept him grounded. His precious Padme.

He had not killed her. His master had said his rage and anger had killed his angel. It had all been a lie, to keep him tethered to Sidious as his only focal point in a dreary and empty galaxy.

His vision opened up to include his children and Solo, and he noticed the twins staring at each other with questions in their eyes. He did not think he could talk about Mustafar with them. Not yet.

Changing the subject, he challenged, "You should never have let the twins step onto the galactic stage without the necessary facts of their heritage at their disposal."

Leia spoke up, "Much as it pains me to do so, I agree with Vader on this one, Obi-wan Kenobi. You should never have let Luke face Vader at Bespin without telling him. You should never have allowed the two of us to join the Alliance and work together without telling us! Fortunately, I had too much sense to fall in love with my own brother, but most women would agree that he is a great guy. Would you have interfered if our relationship had moved forward in an unhealthy way?"

Obi-wan had the grace to look severely abashed, "I will confess that aspect of the situation did not occur to us at all, Princess. During one of my last moments in my physical body, while I was fighting your father, I watched the two of you run for Solo's ship. I cannot express the joy I felt that you both escaped the Death Star alive. Beyond the reality that the Skywalker twins were safe, I was sadly shortsighted about possible negative developments in your relationship."

"Han was thankfully around to firmly cut me out," Luke said, again lightening the mood slightly.

His son then looked at him and said, "Father, I'm sure you and Ben could exchange barbs for some time, but I want to talk about the Force vision and Palpatine. We need to determine whether Leia's identity has been compromised."

Vader looked at his (newfound) daughter with concern. Luke was correct. This was of essential importance.

Kenobi spoke up, "Tell me about this Force vision, Luke."

Vader focused as his son described what had happened as they slept the previous night. His son's description of what had happened filled in the many gaps in his own memory. He wondered why he didn't have perfect recall of what had obviously been an important interaction with Luke. He would have to ponder that more later.

Kenobi interrupted his cogitations, "Leia, what was your experience during the vision?"

Leia looked thoughtful, "I didn't experience a vision at all. Han and I were on a speeder bike, headed in this direction, and I just focused on Luke's location like I did at Bespin. I suddenly felt a strange surge, a linking between us, and a peculiar swell in our bond. And then I felt Luke's joy when he realized I was nearby. I also sensed something heavy, something dark. An oppressive presence. After a few moments, it dissipated and Luke's Force presence changed in my mind. I guess that is when he woke up. That's all."

Solo spoke up, "Ah, that must have been when you started squeezing me around the waist like a Corellian Chanx Snake."

The princess smiled at him, "I guess I did. Thanks for not crashing."

Vader looked at Solo thoughtfully. He had to admit it was impressive that Solo was following this conversation without being able to hear Kenobi.

"So in your vision, your sister's face was not revealed until after the dragon disappeared?" Kenobi pressed.

Luke shook his head, "She was completely covered head to toe. Even her hands were covered with gloves, and she doesn't usually wear gloves."

Vader and Kenobi looked at one another in relief.

"She is safe then," Kenobi said firmly.

Vader clarified, "That is to say that Palpatine doesn't know her identity, Luke. No doubt your natural tendency to shield your sister helped keep her hidden. He will know of another Force sensitive who helped you, but he won't have any idea of her identity."

"Isn't that bad enough?" Solo asked.

Vader considered, then said, "It isn't ideal, but Palpatine will assume it is some other less powerful Force sensitive in a very large galaxy. He will continue to focus on my son."

Luke looked relieved, while his daughter looked perturbed.

Before she could comment, Solo spoke up.

"Listen, Vader, all this is interesting, but I want to know what you are doing here. If you are going into exile, then I suppose we might leave you alone. But if you are plotting a takeover of the Empire, than that is something that the Alliance High Command needs to know."

Vader stared at the pirate incredulously. Did Solo really believe he could demand to know a Sith Lord's plans for the galaxy? (Though he wasn't sure he was really a Sith Lord now. He knew he was shifting towards the light. He certainly wasn't a Jedi, but was he still a Sith Lord? More to ponder.)

The princess spoke up, "I agree with Han. I know that you and Luke have talked at length, but keep in mind we are completely in the dark about this. What _are_ you doing here?"

Vader tilted his helmet toward his daughter. She lifted her chin in that characteristic gesture, and took a short step closer to him.

He reminded himself that she was his daughter. Their relationship was one of hostility and hatred because of his actions. For all that he wanted to preserve his own counsel, it would be in his own best interests to share his plans. He certainly would not harm Leia, nor could he keep Leia and Solo safely imprisoned without imprisoning Luke as well. Which was out of the question, not to mention impossible.

Reluctantly, he spoke, "I have been working with Luke to improve my suit for a confrontation with Palpatine. When I am ready, I will face him, and I will kill him."

Leia and Solo looked startled.

"You're really going to try to kill the Emperor?" Leia inquired, "After serving as his right hand man for more than twenty years?"

"Yes," he snarled suddenly, and began pacing up and down the narrow confines of the hut, "Yes, I served him loyally for more than twenty years. He lured me in, he deceived me by pretending to be my friend, he used my fears about your mother's well being…" he paused in pain, then resumed "…to draw me to the Dark Side. He told me that she had died with my child unborn. He has kept me in slavery for 24 years. It is time for it to end."

He turned towards his daughter, "And now that I know about you, I have twice the reason to destroy Palpatine. Neither you nor your brother are safe with Palpatine still alive. He lusts for power, and you both carry the Force power of the ages within you."

Leia looked amazed, then thoughtful, "Well, I can't argue with wanting to kill Palpatine. I assume you plan to use the Dark Side of the Force to defeat him?"

"Of course," he said dismissively, "A Sith Master such as Palpatine can only be destroyed with the power of the Dark Side."

"I disagree with that, Father," Luke spoke up, "I do not believe that the Dark is stronger than the Light."

"Luke is right," Kenobi said steadily, "And keep in mind that both Darth Maul and Count Dooku were destroyed by Jedi."

"I was the Jedi who killed Dooku," Vader responded, "And while you were unconscious at the time, I chose to kill him instead of imprison him while tapping into the Dark Side. So I believe the Dark Side assisted me."

"Let's talk about you, Father," his son said gently, "If you go to Coruscant, and challenge the Emperor, and kill him in the throes of anger and hatred, what happens then? Will you take his place? Will you rule as he did? Will you be able to step away from your desire to bring order to the galaxy through Dark Side means? If you follow that path, you will have no hope of developing any relationship with Leia, and our relationship will shatter. Is that what you want?"

Vader froze in shock. His son was right. The Dark Side was not something he could pick up and put down at will. To willfully dive into the dark, compulsive abyss of hatred and anger would pull his soul firmly towards the Dark again. He looked at his son. He had known that Luke was his child on Bespin, and yet he had battered him brutally and then hacked off his hand. His own son! At this moment, he shuddered with guilt over his cruelty. And yet, at the time, he had been so firmly entrenched in the lust for power and control that was part of the Dark Side that he maimed his son without significant regret .

If he destroyed Palpatine in that way, he would likely take up the mantle of Emperor and continue on a path that his children could not accept.

He sighed, and lowered his head, "You are right, my son. You are right. But I truly do not believe I can kill Palpatine using the Light."

Luke shook his head in fond exasperation, "You don't have to do it alone, Father! I will help, you know that."

"We have talked about this before," he responded sternly, "I will not permit you near Palpatine. The fight will be hard and difficult. It may be impossible. Not only is Palpatine strong, but Coruscant is his power base. He has many guards and the Imperial Palace, where he spends the vast majority of his time, is designed to protect him."

Solo looked incredulous, "And you plan to attack him _there_? That seems doomed to failure."

Vader lifted a hairless eyebrow, though of course the Corellian couldn't see it.

"It would be advantageous if he were elsewhere," he said patiently, "But Palpatine rarely leaves Coruscant and will be less inclined to do so knowing that I am now opposed to him."

There was a long pause, while his twins (his twins!) exchanged glances and Solo put a thoughtful arm around his daughter.

"Then we lure him out," Leia said suddenly.

"I do not understand," he responded. He didn't.

His daughter looked at him intently, "Palpatine knows you, Lord Vader. He will anticipate a certain course of action for you. But he doesn't know me or Luke well, and Han even less. I'm sure that if we work together we can come up with a plan that he won't expect, one that will provide a far higher chance of success. We might all even live through it."

He opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. He looked at Kenobi.

His old master seemed to sense his thoughts, because his mouth twisted into a slight grin, "Now you know what I felt like when you were my padawan, Anakin. Skywalkers aren't compliant, especially when someone they care about is involved."

Vader looked at his daughter in surprise. Did she care about him? A brief brush of the Force across her soul showed nothing. As usual, she was shielded. But…at the very least she didn't seem to strongly desire his death, though perhaps that was more on her brother's behalf than on his. Given his treatment of her and the men she loved, that was incredible enough.

"Very well," he said resignedly, "We will work together."


	17. Chapter 17

_2 months later_

 _Royal Palace, Theed, Capital of Naboo_

Pooja Naberrie stood with the rest of the Court, as the Queen of Naboo rose from her throne and walked between the District Representatives, with her Handmaidens stepping regally behind her.

Pooja was surprised when the Queen paused to speak with her.

"I understand you will not be here for tomorrow's convocation to discuss the new taxation request by the Empire?" she asked.

Pooja bowed her head slightly, even as she searched the Queen's eyes. The ceremonial make-up worn by the Queens of Naboo made it somewhat difficult to read expression.

"My apologies, your Majesty," she said, "My mother suddenly requested my presence at her father's Life Day celebration tomorrow. My grandfather is failing, and my mother thinks this might be our last family celebration together with him. If you need me, however, it is not necessary that I go."

The Queen smiled sadly, "You will be missed, Representative Naberrie, but by all means join your family. Family is important, and … the vote will not be close."

Pooja grimaced inwardly. For all that the officials at the local Imperial garrison treated the District Representatives with outward respect, everyone knew that the Representatives were mere puppets when an Imperial "request" was made. Pooja, like everyone else, would accede to every Imperial demand, for fear of reprisals.

"Thank you, your Majesty," she responded to the Queen.

"Will the celebration be in Theed?" the Queen continued courteously.

"No, we'll be gathering at Varykino, our family's lake retreat," Pooja replied.

The Queen nodded graciously, "May you have a joyful time, then."

Pooja bowed slightly again with respect, and watched the younger woman walk gracefully out of the room.

Then, with a quick glance at her chrono, she strode rapidly to a nearby hanger, where one of her distant relatives was waiting in his Gian speeder to whisk her away to Varykino.

She climbed into the passenger seat and closed her eyes as the speeder moved forward rapidly. It had been another frustrating session at the Palace, and she was glad to get away for at least a few days. On the other hand, while Varykino would be a temporary reprieve, her time there would not solve the overarching problem. Her life felt rather useless, and she didn't know what to do about it.

She had been in the Imperial Senate for some years. While the Senate had grown increasingly powerless, she had at least felt she was doing something of value. But just before the Death Star was destroyed, 4 years ago, Emperor Palpatine had dissolved the Senate permanently. Pooja had come home and quickly been elected as the representative for the Lake District, the location of Varykino.

Her role as a District Representative was even less meaningful than as Nabooian Senator, as the local Imperial governor made all decisions about Naboo's intergalactic affairs. She reminded herself that there were some local affairs which the Empire left to the Representatives. She was thankful she could work on issues involving schooling and property issues and water rights.

But compared to working in the Senate at Imperial Center, it felt drab and pointless.

More and more, she wondered if she should shift into some other line of work, perhaps teacher or writer.

To her surprise, she drifted off to sleep, and only woke up two hours later as the speeder landed gracefully on the pad next to Varykino.

She smiled her thanks at her pilot, and climbed out of the speeder. As she approached the Lake House, her mother Sola Naberrie appeared at the door. Pooja smiled. She didn't get to see her mother as often as she liked, but they were good friends and treasured their rare times together.

"Pooja, welcome my dear," her mother said with a smile and a fond embrace, "Please come inside."

Pooja followed her mother into the house, nodding at various family members who had gathered for her grandfather's Life Day celebration the next day. She was glad that while Grandpa Ruwee's health was poor, his mind remained sharp so that he could enjoy time with family.

Sola led her daughter up the stairs and into the bedroom that Pooja used when she was at Varykino. Pooja moved to the window and stared out at the lake. It was peaceful today, and the sight of sunshine and the clear reflection of trees and sky in the lake soothed her mind and soul. She took a deep breath. It was so good to be home, free from the anxieties of her work life for a few days.

"Pooja, I have something to tell you," Sola said behind her.

Pooja turned around, startled at her mother's tone. Mother looked incredibly serious and…were those tears in her eyes?

"Mother, what's wrong?" she asked anxiously, "Is it grandfather? Is he even sicker than we thought?"

"No, no, it is nothing like that," her mother replied, running a hand across her eyes. She patted the bed and said, "Come, sit with me."

Surprised, Pooja obediently crossed over and sat down next to her mother.

Sola leaned closer to her daughter and spoke in a soft tone, "My dear, we have swept this room for listening devices, but I still prefer to be quiet, just in case. I have…I have some absolutely incredible news for you. I warn you that it is dangerous news, but I have confidence that you will be able to handle this information wisely."

Pooja's eyes widened incredulously, but she managed to keep her voice low, "What is it, Mother?"

Sola shook her head, as if still amazed, and spoke in a low tone, "Pooja, I know you remember your Aunt Padme's funeral. You were seven years old, but we've talked about how much it affected you, affected our entire kin. It was a shattering event that changed the entire fabric of our family life."

Pooja nodded in bewilderment, "Of course I remember, Mother. But that was a long time ago. 24 years."

She sighed, "I don't remember her well, but she was so kind to me. I remember us playing a strange game with 8 sided dice, and her comforting me when I lost a game and started crying. I'm pretty sure she threw a few games after that so I would win. I always wished I had known her well. And…I wish my cousin had lived."

Sola nodded, "Sweetheart, that's what I need to tell you. Your cousin did live, or rather, cousins."

Pooja's mouth gaped open in a far from dignified manner, "What?"

"Shhh…," her mother remonstrated, "We've just found out that my sister Padme bore twins before she died, and both of them are still alive. In fact," her voice lowered still more, "they are here right now, here at Varykino, in that rather dilapidated guest house down by the unused dock. They are hiding there."

"Why are they hiding?" Pooja hissed in outrage, "They are our kin, my cousins, your nieces or nephews. We should be welcoming them with fireworks!"

Sola put her finger to her lips again, "Pooja, their identity is the problem."

She reached out her hands and grasped Pooja's hands hard, "Pooja, this is going to be a tremendous shock. One of your cousins is the adopted child of Bail and Breha Organa, Leia Organa."

Pooja clapped her hand over her mouth to keep herself from a shout of disbelief.

"Leia Organa?" she whispered in stunned amazement, "Leia? We served in the Senate together. We are close friends. I can't believe it. She is Padme's daughter? Why in all the worlds did the Organas take her from us? Why wasn't she raised within our family?"

Sola inched a little closer, "Because, my love, her twin brother, and your other cousin, is the Jedi Luke Skywalker."

Pooja actually choked this time. This provoked a coughing fit which didn't cease until her mother fetched her a drink of water. She took a few sips and then rolled in a ball on the bed, so awash with disbelief and shock that her mind hardly seemed to be functioning.

A few minutes later, she pulled herself together and sat up.

"So Uncle Ani was their father," Pooja said.

"Yes, and he really was your uncle, Pooja," her mother replied, "Ironic that you little ones gave him that title, yet none of us knew that he and Padme were married shortly after the Clone Wars began."

Pooja frowned, "Why didn't they tell us?"

Sola sighed, "The Jedi were forbidden to marry, my love. Anakin would have been thrown out of the Order, and Padme would have lost her position in the government."

"And yet they conceived children," Pooja said solemnly.

Sola nodded, "Yes, and while your cousins have not told me everything, it seems clear that the pregnancy and their birth played a major role in Padme's death."

Pooja reached out a tender hand, "I am sorry, Mother."

"No, no," Sola said with a determined smile, "I have grieved Padme for many years and now rejoice that two precious children survived her death."

Pooja sighed, "Obviously we can't recognize them openly, Mother. Skywalker has the largest bounty in the galaxy on his head. I've heard that Darth Vader is particularly obsessed with finding him."

Sola nodded gravely, "Indeed. Their presence here is a danger to us all, but we have never shrunk from danger, and we will not do so now."

Pooja tilted her head, puzzled, "So why are they here now? Why didn't Leia ever tell me about this before?"

"She didn't know, Pooja," her mother replied, "Again, they haven't told me everything, but the twins were separated at birth and sent to different corners of the galaxy, each raised without knowing of the other. They found out their kinship with each other less than a year ago, and discovered that Padme was their mother more recently than that."

An unpleasant thought crossed Pooja's mind, "Mother, are you absolutely sure that…you know…they are correct about this claim?"

Sola nodded briskly, "That occurred to me and I assure you, the twins insisted on blood tests to prove their claim. We used your grandfather's med droid to run the tests. There is no doubt they are your first cousins, Pooja, and my niece and nephew. You can have complete confidence in that."

"And they were hidden because of Uncle Ani, right?" Pooja said, "Because he was a Jedi?"

"Yes, Anakin was a Jedi, and a very powerful one. And the twins have inherited his Force power. They are a grave threat to the Emperor, and perhaps to Lord Vader too. Though Vader has disappeared – I don't know if you've heard that?"

Pooja nodded thoughtfully, "Yes. The rumors are that he has not been seen anywhere in several months. Have my cousins mentioned his disappearance at all?"

"Only to exchange glances," her mother said wryly, "It is obvious they know something, but are not choosing to tell me about it."

Pooja looked outside. Her brain suddenly felt alive with possibilities, not to mention the thrill and delight of learning that her cousins lived, and that one was her dear friend Leia.

"Pooja, you worked with Leia Organa in the Senate for many years," her mother said, breaking into her thoughts, "Do you trust her?"

Pooja nodded solemnly, "With my life, Mother. And with my honor. She was much bolder than I was in the Senate, fighting against slavery and for freedom for those being crushed under Palpatine's increasingly barbaric practices. I've studied Aunt Padme, and Leia is much like her in the political arena. She even looks like her. I'm not sure why none of us saw it."

"Because it didn't occur to us," her mother said sadly, "Why would we even consider that the adopted child of Bail Organa was our own flesh and blood, and the daughter of my sister? It was beyond the realm of conjecture. But it is true."

Pooja put an arm around her mother's thin shoulders. For all that Sola was brave and strong, she had grieved long and hard over the loss of her younger sister Padme. Pooja hoped this new discovery would give her mother joy, not lead to sorrow.

Given the identities of her cousins, and their extremely dangerous lives, her mother had to be aware she could lose her newly discovered niece and nephew to the forces of the Empire.

"So," Pooja said briskly, "Do you think they are safe in the guest house?"

"I think so," Sola said, "We deliberately called the family together on short notice so that there would be some safety in numbers. With people coming and going, no one will be surprised if they catch a glimpse of people they don't know. Nor will it be as noticeable when you and I creep off to meet them. They will not be deliberately exposing themselves to anyone but you and me, Pooja. I haven't even told my parents."

Pooja nodded, "That is wise. How did you meet them in the first place?"

Sola chuckled for the first time, "They broke into my bedroom here and were waiting for me one evening after supper. It about made my heart stop. But they told me who they were and I could see Padme in Leia, so I summoned Father's med droid and did the test then and there. Then I snuck them into the vacation house and arranged for a big party. Father was rather bewildered as I usually don't make such a fuss about Life Days, but he has acclimated quite nicely. In fact, he and my mother are most definitely enjoying themselves. As for the twins, they very specifically asked to see you. This is more than a family visit, Pooja. They want you to help them with something, but they chose not to tell me what. And indeed, I don't want to know. If we are betrayed, the fewer people who know details, the better."

Pooja shivered slightly, then squared her shoulders and looked straight into her mother's eyes, "When can I meet them?"

Sola looked out the window.

"Tonight, Pooja," she said quietly, "After dinner, you can go out for one of your 'walks by the lake' and meet them."


	18. Chapter 18

_That evening_

Pooja leaned over and gave her Grandpa Ruwee a hug and beamed at him.

"I'm looking forward to the big celebration tomorrow," she said, "But it was wonderful having time to catch up without a bunch of people milling around."

Her grandfather looked tired, but he responded with a smile of his own, "My dear, it is always a delight to spend time with my very busy granddaughter. Are you off on one of your walks now?"

She nodded, concealing the excitement in her heart, "I love it out there at night. It is so alive out there, yet so peaceful. Quite a contrast from Theed, and an even greater contrast from Imperial Center."

Her grandfather lifted a hand in farewell, and Pooja slipped out the back door.

She made a point of wandering over to the water and staring out at the water for a few minutes. The wind had picked up, and there were small ripples in the water. The breeze riffled her dark hair, and she spent a full minute breathing in and out steadily to calm her nerves.

A small purple strab popped beady eyes out of the sand, then scuttled into the water. Pooja chuckled, remembering how she and her sister Ryoo used to run screaming in terror from the strabs. She shook her head. Life had been truly simple back when her greatest fear was of small crustaceans.

After lingering long enough to dispel any curiosity by random house guests, she began meandering down the beach towards the unused guest house. It had been commonly used long ago, but 20 years previously a modern guest house had been built in the other direction on the beach, along with a more stable dock. The old guest house had been left to deteriorate. She wasn't sure how bad it was, as she'd not walked by it in many years.

After a ten minute walk, she arrived. She was pleased to see the roof of the house was still intact. The main window facing the lake was not – it had been covered with a thin durasteel layer to prevent rain from entering into the building – but the rest of the windows seemed all right. The vegetation had grown up tremendously since she has last been here, and she had to pick her way carefully to the front pathway.

She climbed the stairs to the main door, stepping somewhat cautiously in case one of the boards gave way. It was both charming and impractical that the guest house was made largely of organic wood, which was more prone to decay than modern materials.

Pooja took a deep breath as she reached the door, then knocked courteously.

Immediately, the door swung open to reveal her old friend Leia.

Pooja stepped in quickly, shut the door, and threw her arms around the slightly shorter woman. She was surprised to find herself sobbing with both relief and intense emotion. She had thought many times that she would never see Leia again, and now they were meeting as cousins.

"Leia, it is so good, so amazing, to see you again," she said joyfully.

Leia too seemed delighted to meet her again, as she returned the embrace with fervor.

After a moment, both stepped back to regard one another.

Pooja bit her lip in amazement. Even dressed in a plain white jumpsuit, her cousin was gorgeous. If possible, Leia Organa was even more beautiful than she had been back in the Senate, though her eyes were no longer bright with hope, as they had been long ago. Pooja had heard rumors that Leia had been captured by the Empire more than once. It said much about her cousin's resilience and strength that she was still sane and still fighting.

Leia spoke, interrupting her thoughts, "Pooja, I am overjoyed to see you too. You look wonderful. I cannot tell you how delighted I was when we learned that…well, that we are family. I always so admired House Naberrie, and now we _are_ Naberries."

While she spoke, she gestured across the room. Pooja looked up to see a young man regarding her, obviously her cousin Luke Skywalker. He was dressed in black and like his sister, his eyes were shadowed. But he looked kind, and was very handsome. His features were similar to her shadowy memory of their father.

Pooja found herself beaming, as she held out her hand, which he took, "You must be Luke. I am so honored, so blessed, to meet you!"

She glanced back at Leia and added, "I can understand why no one guessed you two are twins. You don't look much alike!"

Leia smiled back, "Yes, it is surprising. Blond, blue eyed Luke. Dark-haired, brown eyed Leia. We're both short, which apparently came from our mother Padme."

Pooja nodded, "Naberries aren't usually very tall. Uncle Ani was tall, so yes, you got your height from Aunt Padme."

The twins stiffened and exchanged quick glances.

"Uncle Ani?" Luke asked.

"Your father, Anakin Skywalker," Pooja explained, "We called him Uncle Ani when he was visiting. He was kind to us little ones so we made him an honorary uncle. And then it turns out he and Aunt Padme were secretly married later, so he really became our uncle. Amazing."

Both her cousins looked at her incredulously.

"You actually knew our father, Pooja?" Leia asked, "I had no idea that he visited you."

"Yes, in our home in Theed, the capital city," Pooja explained, "As I said, I was very young so what I remember is probably a mix of ancient memories and stories told since then. Your mother, Padme, was the target of several assassination attempts and Anakin was assigned to her as a bodyguard. I'm sure they fell in love during that time."

She smiled sadly, "I so wish you could have known your father, Leia and Luke. He was an amazing, wonderful person."

She was looking at Leia as she said this, and her cousin's face suddenly went completely blank. Her eyes, though, suddenly grew dark with pain and anguish. Pooja froze in bewilderment. She was adept at reading emotion and she had known Leia well, though it had been four years since last they had met. Why that look of horror?

She glanced at Luke. He was staring at his sister, with sadness on his face and a glint of tears in his eyes.

Puzzled, she opened her mouth to ask a question, but Leia's expression suddenly changed to one of business-like calm, and she said, "Pooja, can we move into the living area? We have a great deal to talk about and I know you shouldn't stay too late."

Pooja allowed herself to be shepherded into the living area. It was warmly lit with a few plain light cells, but there was no light from outside because the window had been covered due to breakage. There were a few simple wooden chairs present, and she sank into one of them, while Leia sat down in another near her. Luke, she noticed, continued to stand. A small R2 droid stood quietly in one corner, with an arm extended and a small antenna rotating.

"R2 and Luke will keep both a physical and Force lookout for anyone approaching, so we won't be interrupted," Leia explained with a gesture of her hand, "So let's catch up a little here."

The ensuing thirty minutes involved, as Leia put it, catching up – along with a great deal more. Pooja was the member of a well-known political family, with more than a decade of experience in spite of her relative youth. She knew when she was being probed, and right now she was being probed with considerable expertise. She didn't mind. Leia and Luke were extending tremendous trust towards them. Family or no, the Naberries were a potential threat to the Skywalker twins. Luke's bounty alone would purchase cities, and Leia was on the Most Wanted list as well. So Pooja talked openly of subjects that were usually spoken of in whispers –of Imperial control, and slavery, and the Empire's increasingly tight grip on Naboo and the surrounding Outer Rim systems. Palpatine was originally from Naboo, but even his home planet was not exempt from sinister disappearances and the forced conscription of sentients for Imperial service.

After thoroughly grilling her, Leia leaned back with a smile and said, "Thank you, Pooja. And I apologize for my lack of courtesy. As you know, I am capable of being more diplomatic."

Pooja smiled slightly and then grew solemn, "I don't blame you in the least, Leia. I know that I have taken the easier road. My family and I have chosen to work within the system in spite of making less and less difference in our citizens' lives as Palpatine's lust for complete dominance has grown."

She stood up now, and began pacing the living room, "It is incredibly frustrating to me, to be honest, but I've been afraid to do much more."

She turned to her cousins, "I thought that openly supporting the Rebellion would bring reprisals against my loved ones. However, you are our family now, so we owe loyalty to you as well. And while I was traveling here earlier, before Mother told me about you, I realized I needed to make some kind of change. I feel like I'm just a trained uvak sometimes, filling in a decorative role for the pleasure of our Imperial Master."

She shook her head, "It's disgusting, really."

Luke spoke for the first time since they'd moved into the living area, "So to be completely clear, you are not loyal to the Emperor or the Empire, and would be glad to move against Palpatine."

Pooja considered, then nodded resolutely, "Yes, I certainly support you and the Alliance, and indeed I have for years. I'm ready to take the next step and help you, if I can."

She sighed and looked around her, "I know I'm not alone in my views of the Empire among my family. _Ou_ r family. Maybe we all need to flee Naboo and join the Alliance. I know that losing Varykino will break my grandparents' hearts, but we've been running on borrowed time here anyway."

Leia stood up as well and put a gentle hand on Pooja's arm, "We don't have any intention that you should all flee right now. We have something more subtle in mind, though it will take courage and it is dangerous. But tell us about Varykino. We understood that it belonged to House Naberrie, so why are you in danger of losing it?"

Pooja sighed and shook her head, "One of Palpatine's techniques for weakening the Houses here has been to impose very heavy annual taxation on property. Most landed families have been forced to sell off property, and many have moved to their homes in Theed and given up their estates, often to high ranking Imperials. For reasons we have never understood, however, Varykino has been exempt from all taxation for the duration of the Empire. We haven't asked too many questions, for obvious reasons, but apparently someone very high up has been protecting the estate."

She was looking at Luke this time, and saw his eyes widen with amazement. A glance at Leia showed a similar expression.

"Perhaps the wedding was here," Luke said somewhat cryptically.

Leia nodded, "It seems likely, doesn't it?"

Pooja lifted her eyebrows in bewilderment, but chose not to speak. Her cousins would explain in their own time.

Luke looked straight at her now, and there was a long, though not uncomfortable, silence.

He then looked at Leia and said, "Pooja will help us, and we can trust her."

"Thank you," Pooja replied, not sure whether to be flattered by this pronouncement, or annoyed that Leia didn't trust their long relationship more than her brother's portentous statement.

Leia seemed to understand because she said, "Luke is a Jedi, Pooja, so adept at reading people's intentions and character. We have to be sure, because we have a plan, and you are a vital member of it. We can't do it without you."

"What's the plan?" Pooja responded, with a slightly dry throat.

The answer was even more terrifying then she expected.

"We're plotting to kill Emperor Palpatine," her cousin responded matter-of-factly.

Pooja coughed again. She really needed to control that tendency when she was startled.

"You, personally, are going to kill the Emperor?"

In spite of her confidence that they were not being overheard, she had lowered her voice nervously.

Luke spoke up now, and his voice, while not loud, held conviction, "It is going to be a group effort, Pooja. Our intention is to lure Palpatine here, and force a confrontation with him that will lead to his death. Whether we all survive is certainly not a definite thing, but if we die bringing down Palpatine, it will be worth it. Your role is to provide information about Theed, the Palace, the people who work there, and the upcoming Empire Day festivities, when we hope Palpatine will return to Naboo. We understand he has done so in the past, in honor of his roots here."

Pooja shook her head in dismay, "Since the advent of the Empire, he has been here 4 or 5 times, but not in the last … 8 years, I believe. He has stayed on Imperial Center lately for Empire Day. It is unlikely he will come to Naboo for the festivities, which are 4 months from now."

Leia nodded, even as she said, "We know that. But we have a plan that will substantially increase the likelihood that he will come. When he does, we will strike. We hope you can give us information about where Palpatine would likely stay, details about the Throne Room, security arrangements, and information about your queen and how she would likely interact with Palpatine. Do you think you can do that?"

Pooja nodded confidently, "Absolutely. I have many colleagues and friends there at the Palace, access to information about the security arrangements, and the Queen and I work together well. She, while paying lip service to the Empire, certainly dislikes the political situation she's been handed."

"Would you likely be present at any formal gatherings with Palpatine?" Luke asked.

Pooja considered, "Perhaps I will be present when he arrives, or something of the nature. Part of the crowd. I'm not high up enough, or important enough, to have a special audience with him."

"I will want to spend some time with you giving you some pointers on shielding," Luke said, "It would be devastating if Palpatine sensed something from you."

Pooja shivered, "Can he do that?"

"He is a very powerful Force sensitive, Pooja - a Sith Lord," Luke replied, "But in a large crowd it would be difficult for him. And my probe of you showed you have a strong mind and a natural tendency to shield. So you'll be fine."

He smiled at his sister, "Maybe you got your shielding from the Naberrie side."

Leia grinned back at her brother, "You're probably right."

Leia turned back to her cousin and grew solemn, "We've heard that our mother has a tomb, or a crypt, in Theed. Is that true? Is it guarded? Have you ever been there?"

Pooja nodded solemnly, "Yes, there is a tomb for her, with a statue that my mother says is the very image of her. And she is buried there. My mother and I have gone to pay our respects to her many times. As for it being guarded, there are ceremonial officials attached to the Queen's House who stand guard, but there is no obvious Imperial presence."

Luke and Leia looked at one another, then Luke said, "Would you and your mother be willing to pay your respects again in the near future? We'd like you to bring along some disguised equipment so we can see whether there are electronic devices around the tomb."

Pooja nodded in relief, "We can definitely do that. Mother will be honored. In fact, we'll do it the day after Grandfather's Life Day celebration. It would be considered an appropriate time."

"Thank you very much, Pooja," Leia said gratefully, "We would be honored to join you, but it would not be safe for us."

Luke spoke up now, "One other thing, Pooja. Can you tell us about this guest house we are in? Your mother said it belongs to the Varykino estate, but is rarely inhabited. Do you know if anyone ever uses it? When we were cleaning it up, there was the dust of the ages and no signs of recent habitation."

"That is accurate, Luke," she replied, "No one comes out this way, partly because we have a much newer, nicer guest house closer to the main house. Also, we have had to cut back on maintaining Varykino and money has been funneled into repairs and upkeep on the big house. You probably noticed the brush has grown up. It's a very private place for you, and I don't think you will be disturbed while you are here."

Leia and Luke exchanged thoughtful glances.

"Pooja," Leia said, and if possible she looked even more serious, "We have an unusual ally in our fight against Palpatine. He will need a place to stay for a time, and we hope he can stay here if that is permissible. Having him here will be dangerous as he is wanted by Palpatine himself. But we think he will be safer here than anywhere else on Naboo, especially if your family carries on as if everything is normal."

Pooja raised her eyebrows, "Who is this ally?"

Again, a pause, then Leia said, "Darth Vader."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 _2 months later_

 _Emperor's Throne Room, Imperial City, Imperial Center_

Emperor Sheev Palpatine felt a vicious sense of satisfaction when the soft chime on his throne interrupted his meditation.

He had made it very clear that he was _not to be disturbed_. He would thoroughly enjoy killing the hapless idiot contacting him, which would lighten his spirits at least a little.

He also had to admit that the intrusion was rather welcome, as it ended another frustrating attempt to determine Darth Vader's location. Ever since he had been blocked by young Skywalker, his attempts to find his wayward apprentice had been totally futile.

It seemed obvious that Vader and his son were on amicable terms now, especially given the theft of the _Executor_ and its recent appearances with one arm of the Rebel Fleet. Palpatine ground his teeth audibly. For that ship, a gift of his second–in–command, to now be a powerful juggernaut on behalf of Rebel forces enraged him nearly beyond endurance. The Super Star Destroyer had already been the deciding factor in three battles between Rebel and Imperial Forces in outlying systems. Indeed, Ryloth, in the Outer Rim, was now firmly under Rebel control. The Twileks had been a useful slave force, so the loss of Ryloth was significant on that account. More seriously, the encroachment of Rebel Forces into previously Imperial Systems was increasing the amount of unrest and rebellion in other systems. Rebel recruitment was up substantially.

He needed to find Vader – find him and destroy him. His former apprentice was just one man, but that one man had the highest midi-chlorian count in known history. Furthermore, Vader was the father, and now apparently the ally, of Luke Skywalker, also an incredibly strong Force-user. If they were able to fully work together, they would be such a powerful team that Palpatine's corrupted soul quaked with fear at the very thought.

And then there was that mysterious additional Force user, the figure who had joined with Skywalker to repel his attempt to find Vader. Who was he, or she? It was unlikely that anyone the Alliance had uncovered would be a significant threat, but even a small boost to Skywalker's already impressive powers was an unpleasant prospect to the aged Sith Lord.

But he still sensed that Vader was wavering between Darkness and Light, which would somewhat minimize Skywalker's ability to work with his father. He must find Vader! He had agents hunting the galaxy for him and so far they had found nothing – in spite of his own increasingly frequent _incentives_ to his steadily dwindling intelligence corps. Where was the man? Why was he hiding? Was he cowering in fear? Going into self-imposed exile? Plotting the death of his former master? He must be found!

The chime rang again softly, and Palpatine turned on the com with a flick of the Force,

"I believe," he ground out menacingly, "that I had ordered that I not be disturbed."

His Chief Intelligence Officer replied with surprising steadiness, "Your Highness, you ordered that we inform you promptly if we had any leads on the location of Darth Vader. We believe he has been sighted recently on the planet of Naboo."

Palpatine froze. Naboo was the homeworld of Padme Amidala, and the location of the secret wedding between Amidala and the then Anakin Skywalker. And his own homeworld, as it happened, though his power and glory had far exceeded the limits of that Outer Rim planet long ago.

He leaned back on his throne, forcing himself to listen methodically, to think carefully.

"Where was he sighted?"

"I will send you the visual and audio footage, your Highness," the intelligence officer replied, "It was taken 2 days ago, at the tomb of a former Nabooian queen named as Padme Amidala."

Palpatine stiffened with excitement, "Send me the visuals _immediately_."

He had ordered constant electronic surveillance of the tomb long ago, as he wanted to know his apprentice's state of mind concerning his dead wife. In the early years after her death, Vader had slipped off to her tomb a few times, apparently to grieve over the tiresome woman who had challenged Palpatine's ascension to Emperor. However, Vader had not done so in the last 15 years, after Palpatine made it _entirely_ clear that mourning over a dead queen was no longer permissible for the junior Sith Lord.

A large screen detached from the ceiling of the throne room, and lowered. The footage near Amidala's tomb played. Ah yes. The figure on the screen was very tall, and was wrapped in the monk-like robes of one of the local Nabooian religious communities. Intelligence had (the Emperor admitted grudgingly to himself) done a competent job of enhancing the sound and removing background noise. The familiar mechanized breathing was clearly heard above the background noise, as were the rumbled words, "Padme. I'm so sorry. Padme."

Palpatine creased his face in disgust, and leaned back again, shaking his head.

His (former) apprentice had gone completely to the shaaks. The fool, who had competently managed armies and destroyed the strongest of the Jedi, was now a pathetic widower muttering guilty platitudes over the bones of his dead wife.

If it wasn't so infuriating and inconvenient, it would almost be amusing.

He heaved a sigh. It was a step in the correct direction. Vader had been sighted. Now, was he staying on Naboo, or did he promptly leave the planet after his piteous mumbling at the tomb?

He was inclined to believe Vader had probably fled again. Naboo was a highly populated planet, and his former apprentice was an extremely noticeable individual. Even wrapped in robes, he was tall and broad and likely to attract attention. However. It was possible Vader had found some place to skulk, perhaps in Theed. Perhaps in the lower income areas? There might be underground tunnels and complexes, like on Imperial Center, where the poverty stricken sentients would gladly turn a blind eye in exchange for a few credits. He himself had always dwelled in the higher class, sophisticated regions of Naboo. Another consideration – Vader was not a healthy man, and his life support suit required frequent maintenance. A hyperbaric chamber was vital to his apprentice. Was it possible to track down Vader that way?

With a new surge of energy, Palpatine summoned his Chief Intelligence Officer to the Throne Room. Some careful, thorough investigation was in order.

 _The next morning_

 _Varykino Estate, Naboo_

Pooja Naberrie got out of her speeder and walked to the front door of the Main House at Varykino. She opened the door, and then ducked back as a building droid beeped urgently at her. The main hall was in shambles, with ceiling material in heaps on the floor, and the main building joists exposed.

Down the corridor. She could see her mother Sola, who called out to her.

"Pooja, darling! I'm sorry about the mess. Come around to the side door!"

Pooja obeyed, and met up with her mother in the small entrance area next to the main kitchens.

"I see you are in the destruction phase, Mother," she said with a smile.

"Yes, and it is definitely exciting," her mother said, and pulled her daughter into a hug, while whispering into her ear.

"You wanted construction, you got construction."

Pooja smiled, and followed her mother into the main living area, which was intact. For the next two hours, they discussed estate news, the health of Grandpa Ruwee, and life in Theed and at the Palace of Naboo. Pooja was not surprised to learn that her grandparents had elected to move into the main guest house down the beach during construction. The noise and dust were not helpful for a man in delicate health. Pooja was glad to hear that so far her grandfather's health had not deteriorated more. He was suffering from a neurodisease which could not be cured, but medications were keeping it in check.

"How long can you stay, Pooja?" her mother asked.

"A full month," she replied with delight, "The District Representatives are on recess and honestly, I'm very ready to be out in the Lake District again. I'll touch base with my constituents, but I can spend some time resting with you and the grandparents. If you don't mind me staying here, of course."

Sola shook her head and said in an amused tone, "I think we can put up with you. Your sister Ryoo says she'll soon be able to come for a few days. We'll have most of the family here. You will need to help with cooking, of course."

Pooja wrinkled her nose at her mother. Cooking was not one of her gifts.

Sola continued, "By the way, the gardens are really lovely right now, especially the red stalistis. Why don't you take a break from the house and check them out?"

This was said with a significant look, and Pooja replied, "I will, Mother. In fact, I'm so weary of the city that I think I'll stay out for a few hours to get into the lake county spirit. Can I have a few ration bars?"

Sola chuckled and led her daughter into the kitchen, where she handed over a few ration bars and a container of water.

Pooja, concealing her excitement, wandered slowly into the gardens situated behind the greenhouse. For a few minutes, she strolled slowly up and down the formal rows, steadily moving farther away from the house.

She eventually heard the beep she'd been waiting for, though she jumped nonetheless.

"Pooja," a voice said softly, and Leia Organa stepped out of a convenient hiding place. Her small R2 unit stood beside her, with sensor extended.

She followed her cousin quietly into the forest. The underbrush was not grown up too badly in this area of old growth trees, and the air held the gentle perfume of stalistis. After a brisk ten minute hike, her cousin halted in a small clearing and turned to face her.

They hugged briefly, then Pooja asked, "Is _he_ here?"

Leia nodded, and her expression became somewhat blank, "Yes, he's settling in. Luke is with him now."

Pooja shook her head incredulously.

Keeping her voice low, she asked, "Leia, are you really sure we can trust him?"

Leia's face hardened slightly, but she replied, "Yes, because I trust Luke and Luke says we can trust him. I'm not able to evaluate him rationally, I'm afraid. But Luke is able to understand him much better than I ever could, and he says Vader is genuinely trying to make amends for as much as he can. I will say he seems to realize nothing can fix what he's done to the galaxy for the last 24 years, which is something in his favor."

"How does he think he can make amends, Leia?"

For the first time, Leia smiled slightly, "Well, based on what I've been privileged to hear, he would like to grab Palpatine by his wrinkled, scrawny neck, and tear his head off. Not that he'll be able to get close enough to do something that visceral, but that's the general idea."

Pooja gave voice to the bewilderment she'd been feeling for a month, "Leia, why? He's been serving Palpatine for more than 20 years. Why would he suddenly decide to turn against the Emperor in this way? I could understand a coup to wrest ultimate control of the Empire, but this just doesn't make sense! He's hiding in some remote, out of the way place on Naboo, to skulk here, to plot with his Rebel enemies? Living in conditions that are more appropriate to a vagabond than a Dark Lord? It doesn't make any sense!"

Leia sighed and looked down, then raised her head with sudden determination in her eyes.

"Pooja, Luke and I have decided to tell you the big secret, because it will help you to understand the situation. I will let you decide whether to tell your mother or not, but it must not go farther. Please don't tell your sister Ryoo. We don't think she is entirely reliable."

Pooja stiffened. She had a feeling what Leia had to say was going to be hard to hear.

Leia took a couple of deep breaths, and then said calmly, "Pooja, the man known as Darth Vader used to be Anakin Skywalker. He is our father."

Pooja felt as if her blood had suddenly turned to ice. She raised hands to her face which were shaking and pale. She felt tears form in her eyes and fall down her cheeks.

"No, Leia, no. It can't be," she sobbed softly, "Uncle Ani? Darth Vader? No, Leia, it _can't_ be true."

Leia put her arms around Pooja, "It is true, I'm afraid. There is no doubt at all."

After a minute, Pooja pulled herself together. What was she doing, sobbing in the arms of her dear friend who was saddled with a homicidal, brutal tyrant for a father? She stared at Leia. They had been colleagues for several years, and Leia had always seemed so mature that sometimes Pooja forgot that she was the elder by 7 years. She needed to be a support to Leia, not a crying ball of denial. Leia needed love and encouragement in dealing with a father who…no…it couldn't be…

"Leia, there were rumors. Did he…hurt… you?" she demanded.

Leia clenched her fists and turned her head away for a moment, then looked back.

"Twice," she said bluntly, "On the Death Star, for hours, he tortured me to try to force me into revealing the location of the Rebel base. Then on Bespin, he tortured me for less than an hour – in that case so I would be in enough pain that Luke would sense my agony and rush to my rescue. Twice, Pooja. My own biological father tortured me twice."

Pooja considered herself a fairly even tempered person, but this information enraged her so much that she swept around and kicked a defenseless sapling to the ground. She then reached down and snatched up the sapling, breaking it over her knee repeatedly.

"I could kill him myself," she snarled, "What kind of man could do that to his own daughter?"

She turned to Leia, who said with a sad smile, "Well, he didn't know about that, Pooja. I was the hidden twin. We told him about me about a month ago, and he was completely stunned. He was so shocked he started hurling masonry around with the Force. That wasn't helpful, of course, but it was obvious he was totally unaware of my identity. Pooja, we should keep moving."

Leia hooked her arm in her cousin's, and guided her forward after R2, who was leading them now.

"Actually," the princess said calmly, "Vader has swung to the other extreme and is now annoyingly overprotective. Any time we talk about a mission, he interjects comments about how it is too dangerous and I should stay at the fleet where it is safer. He used to want me dead, and now he wants me set on a pedestal like a porcelain Tooka doll that might get broken. There is no pleasing the man."

Pooja overlooked this attempt at levity and said gravely, "Leia, how do you bear it?"

Leia hesitated, then continued walking forward. Pooja followed.

After a moment, Leia said, "I compartmentalize a lot of the time, to be honest. I just shove it all in one corner of my mind and don't deal with it. Right now, I'm treating him like a colleague in an important mission, because that's what he is. My brother Luke is forging a genuine relationship with Vader, but I'm not willing to take even the first step. I hate and despise him for what he's done to me, to Luke, to Han…"

"Who is Han?" Pooja interjected.

Leia glanced at her again, and Pooja was surprised to see a blush rise on her cousin's cheeks

"Han?" the princess smiled suddenly, transforming her face from grim to joyful, "Han Solo is a Corellian ex-pirate and smuggler, a scoundrel, and now my beloved husband."

Pooja choked.

"What?"

"Husband," Leia said with a sly grin, "As of 2 weeks ago. We tied the knot rather suddenly on the _Millenium Falcon_ , Han's ship, in the presence of a round dozen of the pilots in Rogue Squadron, plus my twin brother and a stray Alliance admiral. And of course, we had a holy man to officiate."

"Leia, why?" her cousin protested, "Why didn't you wait a while? You deserved a special wedding, not some rush job!"

"Oh, Pooja," Leia sighed, "My dream wedding would have been on Alderaan, in the Royal Chapel, with my real father Bail Organa walking me down the aisle. That dream was shattered into a trillion pieces 4 years ago along with Alderaan."

The two continued forward, small sticks crunching under their feet.

Leia abruptly spoke again, "War changes things, Pooja. I've been living with uncertainty for the last 4 years, never really knowing if I would survive another day. I've lost people I loved. I've seen others emotionally and physically shattered. I love Han, and he loves me. More than that, we're committed to one another. He has saved my life more than once, and Luke's too. Luke and I saved him from certain death last year when we rescued him from a Hutt gangster. We don't know how much time we'll have together, but we decided we wanted to be married for as long as possible."

"I wonder what Vader thinks of that," Pooja muttered very quietly.

Not quietly enough.

"He disapproves profoundly," Leia said with a grin, "Which added a lovely dose of lipana berries to an already wonderful wedding day."

R2 abruptly stopped and whistled softly. Pooja looked up and saw the old guest house in the distance. She was amazed that the droid had so unerringly guided them on such an unfamiliar route back to the dilapidated structure.

Leia's lips twisted slightly, "Are you ready, Pooja?"

Pooja felt a twinge of fearful anticipation, "Ready or not, here I come."


	20. Chapter 20

Leia opened the door to the guest house and stepped into the main hall, then into the living area. Pooja followed her, then stopped in amazement.

While the outside of the house looked the same, the inside had been transformed. The living area, which had previously been home to a few spindly chairs, now boasted several couches which could be changed into beds at night. Soft lights were installed on the walls, and the floor had been repaired in several places. She peripherally noted an especially large chair sitting up against the south side of the room. There was a desk in the northeast corner with a bristling array of electronics and screens. A tall man stood in that corner, speaking into a com. Pooja noted with relief that there was no sign of Vader.

The man turned around at their entrance and shot them a lopsided smile, even as he spoke into the comlink. Pooja noted belatedly that he had headset on, so she wasn't able to hear the other end of the conversation.

"Ok, that's great news, Lando," he said, "Keep us updated. I need to go – Leia is here."

He took off the headset and moved forward to hug Leia, and then planted a firm kiss on her lips.

Oh! The husband.

Leia turned to Pooja, "Pooja, this is my husband, Han Solo. Han, Pooja Naberrie."

Pooja held out her hand and was rewarded with a firm handshake. Han Solo was handsome, dark haired, tall, with a roguish look in his eyes. He also looked quite a bit older than Leia, closer to her own age.

She shot a surprised look at her cousin Leia. They had both been raised in refined, sophisticated circles. This Han Solo was about as different as could be from the elegant playboys and politicians who had sought Leia Organa's favor back in the days of the Senate. Perhaps that was part of the attraction?

Her cogitations were interrupted by her cousin, "So that was Lando?"

"Yes. As of yesterday, Imperial operatives have started analyzing the sale and transport of hyperbaric equipment on Naboo. So it seems that the Empire did spot Vader at your mother's tomb."

Leia heaved a relieved sigh, "That's good. I was afraid that Imperial incompetence might rear its ugly head at a most inopportune moment."

Pooja was confused by this, but chose instead to comment on the room, "You've gotten an incredible amount done. How on earth did you get all this from the storage hut near the Main House?"

"Luke brought it here, with the Force, in the dark," Leia explained matter of factly.

Pooja blinked at her, "He can lift couches with the Force?"

Leia smiled wryly, "Pooja, he can lift Starfighters."

"One man Starfighters. Don't look for me to haul around something the size of an Imperial battle cruiser anytime soon," a new voice said.

Pooja turned and froze. Her cousin Luke stepped into the room. Following directly behind him, ducking his head in the doorway, was the iconic, terrifying form of Lord Darth Vader, complete with mechanized breathing.

Leia shot Pooja a sympathetic look, and stepped forward.

"Lord Vader," she said formally, "This is my cousin Pooja Naberrie. Pooja, Lord Vader."

Darth Vader looked at her for a long moment, then the bass voice spoke calmly, "Pooja Naberrie. Welcome. Please accept my thanks for allowing me to stay here, and for arranging for all the necessary items to upgrade the building. Princess Leia tells me that you've started a significant construction project at the Main House to cover for the work being done here."

"It is my honor to serve _your children_ in any way I can, Lord Vader," she responded with narrowed eyes.

There was a long pause, during which Vader turned his helmeted head towards the princess. Leia responded by tilting her head up and starting straight at the blank mask.

"Then I thank you for serving my children," he resumed, "They are fortunate to have such loyal and courageous associates."

"It was the least I could do," Pooja responded. She was suddenly seized with outrage and opened her mouth to express her displeasure with the former Anakin Skywalker, then clamped it firmly shut. Yelling at a (partially reformed) Sith Lord was not a wise or healthy thing to do, nor did her friends need any additional stress in an already challenging situation.

Leia shot her a concerned look, and asked, "So how is it going with the suit?"

"We've made some progress," Luke said.

"We've made a great deal of progress," his father retorted, "Your brother has been invaluable. Not only have we finely tuned the mechanics of my prosthetics, we've changed the electronics significantly so I am much less prone to damage from Force Lightening."

He turned to Luke, and his words sounded almost fond through the vocoder, "Luke has also used his powers with mine to promote healing of my lungs. I'm collecting 5% more oxygen from air than I was previously. Given all this, we must reevaluate our plans against Palpatine."

There was a communal sigh from the Skywalker twins and Solo. Pooja guessed that this was a frequent argument.

Luke said, "Father, we've been over this. Marching into the Imperial Palace on Imperial Center and challenging Palpatine openly is a suicide mission. You know he's aware of your antagonism and will have considered ways of neutralizing the threat you pose to him."

"And we've made progress on the plan here, Lord Vader," Leia said, "Calrissian confirmed that Imperial agents are tracking down hyperbaric devices. And Luke's stunt a few days ago will misdirect Imperial intelligence away from Varykino."

There was a pause, and then Vader, Luke, and Leia suddenly swiveled their heads towards the northwest corner of the room.

"Patient?" Vader snarled, "Kenobi, you have lived your life being patient. You spent more than 20 years on that forsaken rock being patient. I want him dead. He destroyed my life and is the greatest threat in the galaxy to my children."

Another bizarre pause.

"You know what else leads to the Dark Side, Kenobi?" Vader continued angrily, "Irritation. With you. This penchant for appearing when my children are here must stop. I don't want you here. I am trying to atone slightly for all the torment I have inflicted on the galaxy and…"

Pooja was aware that she was trembling, and jumped when a hand gently grabbed her arm. She looked up at Han Solo, who tilted his head toward the hall, then drew her out of the room.

"He's insane," Pooja said through white lips.

How had she ended up allied with a totally insane Sith Lord?

"Nah, not insane," Solo said cheerfully, "He's talking to a Force ghost."

Pooja glared at him, "That's not funny, Solo."

Solo chuckled and drew her into the kitchen. Pooja peripherally noted that it too had gone through a much needed facelift.

Her cousin's husband rummaged through a drawer and came out with a bottle of something that was clearly alcoholic. He pulled out 2 glasses and filled them, then handed her one.

"Representative Naberrie," he began.

"Please call me Pooja," she interrupted.

"Pooja," he said, "One thing you need to learn is that when the Skywalkers are around, impossible things become possible. There really is a ghost in there that Vader, Luke, and Leia can see and converse with. His name is, or was, Obi-wan Kenobi. He was a Jedi and was Anakin's Skywalker's master, and Luke's as well, until Vader killed him."

"Vader killed him?"

"Yeah, on the Death Star, when Luke and I rescued Leia."

Perceiving the bewildered look on her face, Solo clapped a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said, "Look, it's complicated. But Luke and Leia aren't insane and I don't think Vader is either. I mean, he's erratic and occasionally homicidal, but he's not nuts."

Pooja took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She could handle this. Just breathe. Just breathe.

Solo continued, "So Leia said you were going to try to get some information about the Royal Palace?"

She nodded with relief. She could talk about the architecture of the palace any day of the week. Ghosts were a bit much.

She pulled a cord over her head and handed over the attached data cube.

"This has everything on it, Solo," Pooja said with some pride, "Ducts, electrical systems, security systems, plumbing lines. Everything. Not just for the palace, but for the entire district the palace sits on."

"Call me Han," he said with a smirk, even has he loaded the cube into the datapad.

Pooja helped him open the documents and find the palace architectural data. For a few peaceful minutes, Solo studied the data while Pooja carefully sipped on her drink.

There was an interruption when Leia walked into the kitchen and curled an affectionate arm around Solo's waist.

"Are they still yelling in there?" Solo asked absently.

"No, Luke has him calmed down. He didn't even throw anything this time."

There was a shared chuckle, and then Solo looked at her solemnly.

"Pooja, this is amazing. How did you get access to all this?"

Pooja grinned proudly, "The representatives with less seniority are expected to serve on tiresome boards and committees. I volunteered for the plumbing and sanitation board for Theed. The sanitation situation is complicated by ancient constructs with more modern plumbing overlaid. The committee meets every 3 months. I was able to access all that information because plumbing and sanitation undergird every section of Theed, including the palace. I just asked for it all and they gave it to me without so much as a lifted eyebrow. Since we're on recess, it was considered natural to take the information with me to the Lake Retreat."

Leia looked at her husband, "Does it have what you need?"

"And more," Solo said confidently, "Yeah, we can definitely work with this."

 ** _Three days later_**

 _Emperor's Primary Meeting Room, Imperial Palace, Imperial Center_

Darth Sidious was even more irritable than usual. He hated meetings like this, where his officers would stand around providing ideas, many of them poor. He preferred reports. He preferred trembling men standing in front of his throne, explaining complex situations, waiting for him to break their necks or bombard them with Force Lightening. He preferred…Darth Vader. Vader was not the most subtle or charming of men, but he got things done.

He missed him. Not in any pathetic emotional sense, but because he had been competent when so many of his underlings were not.

With an exasperated wave of the hand, Emperor Palpatine indicated that the first officer should stand and report.

Captain Plon reviewed the information about Vader's recent trip to Amidala's tomb, Vader's muttered words, and then briefly described the analysis of recent purchases of hyperbaric equipment on Naboo. There were no suspicious buys.

Another officer – Palpatine couldn't be bothered to remember his name – said, "If Vader is on Naboo on a long term basis, he may have had the necessary equipment smuggled in."

Plon smiled thinly, clearly pleased with the information he was about to present, "Your Royal Highness, Officers, Intelligence operatives have uncovered a recent theft of a mole miner at an Imperial mining operation only 100 km from Theed, the capitol of Naboo."

"And this is significant because…?" Palpatine asked.

"Mole miners are used as underground drilling machines, Your Majesty," Plon explained, "Because some areas of drilling are saturated with poisonous gases, each mole miner is outfitted with a full hyperbaric chamber so that personnel can be inundated with oxygen in the event of a toxic exposure. The mole miner stolen was an especially large one. It is likely that Vader is living on it, buried underground somewhere."

Palpatine leaned back thoughtfully in his chair, "If this is true, can the mole miner be tracked?"

Plon looked less happy, and gulped before saying, "There was a beacon on the miner, as sometimes miners get lost underground. However, the beacon was deactivated by the thief. The miner was taken under a shallow lake, which was quite dangerous, and the path has been lost. Given that the miner was stolen 4 days ago, there is an area of several hundred square kilometers where it might be hidden now."

Palpatine sighed. Of course it couldn't be easy.

"How was the miner stolen?" he asked idly,

Plon coughed slightly, then admitted, "We don't know. There were only two watchmen on duty during the night shift. Both have long histories of working faithfully for the Empire, but the visuals from that night show that they helped open the gates for the intruder, and they bypassed the security systems so that the miner could be stolen. They were both interrogated with truth drugs and seem genuinely to not remember the events of that night. We're wondering if someone slipped them some kind of drug."

Sidious stiffened, "Do they have visuals of the intruder? "

"Just a cloaked form, your Majesty," Plon said, "But he or she is short, certainly not Vader's height."

Skywalker!

Palpatine stared around the table, hatred and anger and…fear…gleaming in his yellow eyes, "I have no doubt Vader is using that mole miner. It was stolen by the young Rebel Luke Skywalker."

This pronouncement had the desired effect. All the officers stiffened in fear. They knew that Skywalker was one of the topics that incited their Imperial Master to wrath.

"Vader must be found, or lured out into the open," the Emperor said coldly, "I invite suggestions on achieving either of those goals."

There was a long pause. Then a longer pause.

The Emperor tapped his foot irritably.

One of the officers finally spoke up timidly, "Your Highness, with all due respect, Lord Vader is but one man. If he is willing to bury himself literally in the ground of Naboo, perhaps it would be best to ignore him? Surely he can do little damage where he is now. If he does emerge, we can deal with him then."

Palpatine extended a clawed hand, and waved it casually at the man. With a sudden cracking noise, the man's neck snapped. The corpse slid quietly to the floor.

"I don't like that idea," the Emperor said, "I welcome others."

Again, a long pause. Finally, a young captain stepped forward bravely.

"Your Highness," he said with a tremble in his voice, "It appears that Lord Vader has an attachment to the woman known as Padme Amidala. Would it be possible to lure him out into the open by threatening her family? Or her tomb? Or her memory? "

The Emperor sat back, his yellow teeth showing. Yes, that was a brilliant idea, combining his own personal desire to humiliate Darth Vader with what should be a most effective lure for his former apprentice.

Yes, Amidala's tomb. Not the Naberrie family - Vader would likely not care about them - but if he could insult and debase Padme, that would provoke his former apprentice to rage.

And he would provide additional incentive. He himself would go to Naboo to order the desecration of Amidala's tomb. He would personally release a narrative which would change Amidala from beloved dead queen to pathetic traitor to the people of Naboo. He would enjoy coming up with an appropriate story.

Yes, that would bring Vader out, full of righteous indignation and an uncontrollable desire to kill his former master. And when Vader appeared, Darth Sidious would have a most interesting surprise for him.

 _Author Note: Thanks to those reviewing and following! This chapter was hard to write for some reason. We're getting close to the confrontation between Vader and Sidious._


	21. Chapter 21

_7 weeks later_

 _Late afternoon_

 _Theed, Capitol of Naboo_

Queen Sosha Soruna swept the assembled County Representatives with a regal gaze, and spoke solemnly, "Representatives, I thank you for the efforts you have made in preparing Naboo in general, and Theed in particular, for His Imperial Majesty Emperor Palpatine's time here on Naboo. As you know, it has been 9 years since the Emperor graced Naboo with his presence during Empire Week."

Pooja Naberrie wrinkled her forehead slightly. Was there a slightly sarcastic inflection in the word "graced"? She wouldn't be surprised. While Queen Soruna of Naboo was a brilliant diplomat, Pooja knew she was also a patriot with a genuine concern for her people. And conditions for the citizens of Naboo grew harder by the year due the Empire's increasingly cruel grip on the economy and the populace.

The queen turned and bowed slightly to the junior representatives, of whom Pooja was a member.

"Regrettably, there will not be space tonight for you to be one of those greeting the Emperor, Representatives. Your work is therefore complete. You are of course welcome to observe the festivities and addresses on the Holonet. I would ask that you encourage peace and tranquility among the people of your home counties during His Imperial Majesty's time here with us. We wish to give the Emperor a pleasant and joyful time as he celebrates Empire Week."

Pooja firmly restrained any twitches of her face this time. If all worked out as intended, Palpatine's time here would be anything but peaceful.

The Queen and her handmaidens glided out, and the Representatives dispersed. Pooja headed back to her small apartment and ate a simple dinner. She then donned darker garb, and took a speeder to a shopping district near the edge of one of Theed's less pleasant districts. She strolled through several stores, bought several small items for Varykino, and finally walked into a plant emporium. While she didn't have much luck with plants (or cooking), she knew her mother Sola adored stalistis, so she walked over to admire a display of them, clothed in vibrant colors across the spectrum of the rainbow.

"Hello Pooja," a voice said gently at her side.

She turned and smiled at her cousin Luke, who was dressed in a nondescript cloak, "Hello! It is nice to see you again!"

Under her cheerful greeting, she was a little shocked. Luke had darkened his hair and his face looked quite a bit older, and quite a bit different, than the last time they'd met. The 2 week growth of beard was partly the reason, actually. He might also have some kind of make-up on to disguise his features? That was wise.

With the air of old friends who had casually intersected, the two chatted about the Empire Week festivities as they wandered amiably out of the shop, down the street, and finally into a rather unpleasant alley.

Luke grabbed his cousin's hand and they sped up.

"We shouldn't talk openly," he said softly, "This is not an especially safe district, and conditions will get worse before we reach the apartment."

Pooja nodded, even as she trembled slightly inside. As they walked, the buildings grew drabber, the street lights dingier. Those few people out were cloaked and refused eye contact. She occasionally caught glimpses of faces in the windows of the rooms on street level, and all looked unfriendly or nervous or both. She caught sight of at least one Gungan. She really had no idea that there were sections of Theed this terrible.

"I believe it has gotten worse in the last few years," her cousin murmured softly, making her wonder if he could read her mind.

After fifteen minutes, they approached a taller building, one that sprawled across a substantial area of the next block. Luke hesitated briefly as they crossed the intersection, and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "We may have a little trouble coming our way. Just stay back and don't talk, OK? I'll deal with it."

Pooja's shiver grew more pronounced. But Luke was a Jedi, or at least close to one. They'd be safe. Right?

An alley on the right yawned dark and odorous. As they passed it, a group of men suddenly emerged, surrounding them. In the dim light from the street lights, Pooja could count six forms. The one in front was holding a blaster in one hand and a light cell in the other. The cell suddenly cast a bright beam on her face, making her squint. She turned her head slightly and observed another thug to her right, carrying a wicked looking vibro-knife.

"Put your hands up," the leader growled.

Luke did, with Pooja following his lead.

"You don't have to do this," Luke said in a soothing tone.

"Shut your mouth, Central Dweller," the leader replied with a snarl, "Very slowly remove your cloaks and give us all your credit chips and valuables. And if you reach for a blaster, I promise you we'll blow your heads off before you can fire."

Luke tilted his head thoughtfully, and reached his hand up to undo the clasp of his cloak. Suddenly, the leader made a strange grunting sound even as the light cell and blaster flew into the air. Simultaneously, Pooja felt herself being physically picked up and carried several meters away from the fray, where she was set down gently. She watched the unfolding scene incredulously. Her cousin was a blur of movement, spinning and kicking. The thugs went down like rumble-pins, weapons scattering out of reach. When Luke stopped moving, he had the leader of the gang held upright with his left hand, and his right hand held a blaster which was pointed straight at the man's cerebellum.

On the ground were five panting men, with glazed eyes and shocked faces, most moaning in pain. Their leader was trembling so hard he would have fallen if not held upright by Luke. The light cell was on the ground, pointed at the 5 men lying there.

"I don't like being robbed, or threatened," her cousin said, in a cold tone that Pooja had never heard before from Luke.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't kill me, please," gibbered the man who was being threatened with a blaster bolt to the brain, "Please…"

Luke's voice took on an even more menacing air, "And why shouldn't I kill the whole lot of you for daring to attack me and my friend? Scum like you don't deserve to live."

"Please, sir, please, we didn't realize…"

"That some of your targets might have some special training? That you might come across someone who wouldn't cower in terror before you?"

Luke suddenly turned the blaster away from his target and shot it at one of the hoodlums who was trying to quietly creep away. There was a squeal of shock.

"I'm not done talking to you, idiot. Next time you try to move, I'll actually hit you. Got that?"

There was a squeak of nervous agreement, and then Luke's prisoners grew silent and completely still, no doubt waiting for his pronouncement.

Pooja felt cold inside. Would her cousin really kill them all, in cold blood?

"I'm going to let you go," Luke said in a menacing tone, "But if I ever see you hanging around here, robbing strangers, I will not be so gracious. Is that totally and completely clear? Now get out of here."

There was a dazed pause by the men, and then the recumbent ones rose slowly and cautiously to their feet. They exchanged nervous glances, then one bolted for the alley. The other four followed him, two of them limping, one holding an obviously broken arm against his body. The leader stood still, as Luke still had his blaster pointed at his head.

The blaster was lowered, "I suggest you find a more healthy, and legitimate, way to support yourself. Go, before I change my mind."

The gangster gave one last horrified look at Luke, then also raced for the alley.

Luke tucked the blaster in his cloak, held out his hand to Pooja, and they traversed the last 50 meters before coming to a door in the sprawling building that dominated the block.

A cloaked figure was standing at the door. The figure spoke softly, but Pooja recognized the familiar accent of Han Solo.

"Just terrorizing the local denizens out of their wits, kid?" he asked.

Luke sighed, "One of these days I won't deal with muggers while strolling around here in the dark."

"You look like an easy target, kid. Now if you were a Wookie…or your dad…"

"Yeah, I know. Let's go."

Pooja, who was still shaking slightly, followed Luke and Han up a few narrow flights of stairways and into a shabby corridor. The 3rd door down, Han produced a coded key and they stepped into a surprisingly large room. It too was shabby, and the flooring looked like it had seen far better days. The window outside was covered with dingy curtains which blocked outsiders from seeing into the room.

"Would you have really killed them?" Pooja asked abruptly.

Luke looked at her in surprise, "No, Pooja, I wouldn't. I did want to terrify them, though. I hope they won't attack anyone else in the near future, as the next target might be injured or even killed."

Pooja considered this. It hadn't occurred to her before that by sparing the men, other innocents might die.

"Maybe you should have killed at least the leader, though it might have resulted in unwanted attention from law enforcement."

Luke shook his head, "Not in this area, Pooja. The Theed police don't make it down here often. But it was right to spare them, even the leader. When I take justice into my own hands and kill based on a hasty analysis of a situation, I walk into dangerous ethical waters. I have so much power at my finger tips that I have to be careful to use it wisely."

Pooja's ruminations were interrupted by the iconic breathing of Darth Vader, who stepped out of a nearby hallway.

Luke looked at Pooja.

"Let's have Leia in here and then you can update us on Palpatine's arrival and plans for Empire Week."

A few minutes later, Pooja's two cousins and her cousin's husband were seated on rather unpleasant chairs and couches in the apartment's main living area. Pooja's uncle (bizarre to even think of Darth Vader in those terms!) chose to stand, which was not surprising given that none of the seating was remotely appropriate for his large frame.

Pooja spoke briskly, "The Emperor is scheduled to arrive in the next thirty minutes. There will be an ostentatious welcoming committee for the Emperor when he lands. It's a huge deal, lots of security, lots of cheering crowds. Rather a circus. There will be a dinner in his honor, hosted by Queen Soruna. Then, and this is interesting, the Emperor will make a speech that will be broadcast on the Holonet. I don't think he usually does that?"

She cocked an eyebrow at Vader, who said, "No, certainly not. He would occasionally appear from a balcony at the Imperial Palace and wave at the crowds for a few minutes, but he doesn't give speeches on the Holonet. He despises the vast majority of his subjects, and prefers to hide away in luxury and rule from afar."

Pooja nodded, and continued, "Tomorrow at noon, the Emperor will meet again with Queen Soruna, in the Throne Room of the Palace. Much of Emperor Palpatine's schedule for the week is not being released, but that meeting tomorrow is, as far as we know, a firm plan."

There was a long pause as the other occupants of the room considered this.

"Almost certainly, he will be waiting for me. But nevertheless, tomorrow we strike," Vader rumbled.

Luke and Leia exchanged glances.

"Yes," they said together.

 _2 hours later_

Pooja sat down nervously next to Leia. In spite of the dingy furniture and other unpleasant trappings of this low rent apartment, the cousins and Solo had managed to smuggle in decent Holonet equipment. A quick tour of the rest of the apartment showed that other vital items had been brought in as well, including an apparatus which Luke had told her (in a quiet tone) his father could use when he took off his helmet. It was not a full hyperbaric chamber, but apparently Vader's breathing had improved to the point that this smaller article would allow him freedom from his helmet.

It had never occurred to Pooja that the helmet was onerous; she had imagined it was part of Vader's mystique. But what would it be like, to never feel fresh air on the face? To never smell anything that wasn't filtered through a mask? It sounded miserable.

The bright faced female and male anchors of the official Imperial network had been babbling on at great length about the honor for Naboo in having Emperor Palpatine attend Imperial Week festivities on his home planet. There had been brief recordings of the Emperor's arrival, showing the honor guard, the cheering crowds, and the humble welcome by Queen Soruna. Pooja had gritted her teeth in outrage when her queen and several of her advisors kneeled at Palpatine's feet. When she commented on it, however, Vader told her that he himself had bowed to Palpatine.

Finally, after yet more obsequious flattery by the Holonet news anchors, the scene shifted to a podium, where the aged and unattractive face of Emperor Palpatine formed a harsh contrast to the lovely lines of the room framing him.

Pooja spoke up, "He's speaking from the art gallery in the palace. That's strange."

"Citizens of Naboo," the Emperor said in a creaking tone that made Pooja's ears protest, "I thank you for your gracious welcome today to the planet of my birth. It is my pleasure to honor you with my presence during this most glorious of weeks, the celebration of the birth of my illustrious and powerful Empire."

There were collective groans and retching noises at this announcement, until Leia said, "Shh, everyone."

Palpatine's face suddenly sagged in mock grief, "Regrettably, this transmission to my subjects will bring no pleasure to me. As you know, I grew up on this wonderful planet, and served it as Senator for many years. It is one of the highlights of my long life that I was able to serve this planet before moving on to serve the galaxy as Emperor."

The Emperor began walking slowly down the hall of the art gallery, with the recording device following him. He stopped, then gestured upward at a large painting suspended in a place of honor on the wall. The face was that of a young and beautiful woman, hair piled elaborately high, a gentle smile on her face.

Pooja gasped, "Aunt Padme!"

"Citizens of Naboo, of the galaxy," Palpatine continued, "Some of you may remember a queen from more than 20 years ago, Padme Amidala. We worked together in the corroding government that preceded my glorious reign. At the time, I believed her to be a noble leader with a deep desire to serve her people."

He turned now to face the recording device directly, giving a clearer look at his yellow eyes.

"It grieves me to announce to the people of Naboo that Queen Amidala, later Senator Amidala, was not who she seemed to be. A special investigative task force of the highest caliber has been investigating Amidala for more than a year. The discoveries are difficult for me to impart to you, but I feel obliged as a former leader of Naboo to set the record straight for the benefit of the local government and its people. In my role as Emperor, I aim to bring justice even if it is decades late. No one can escape due judgement for sins against the peoples of the Empire.

"Padme Amidala was, during her time as both Queen and Senator, relentlessly embezzling money from the government, money which she successfully hid in accounts to benefit her family and associates. She was also in secretly allied with the Trade Federation which attacked Naboo and brought about the deaths of so many on my beloved home planet.

"As if all this isn't devastating enough to learn, the task force recently discovered that Senator Padme Amidala, while supposedly loyally representing Naboo on Coruscant, had a torrid and illicit love affair with the Jedi traitor Anakin Skywalker. Yes, my dear subjects, Padme Naberrie Amidala is the mother of the Rebel terrorist Luke Skywalker, who, in one vicious shot, brought about the deaths of over one million loyal Imperial subjects when he destroyed a research and medical space station 4 years ago. Clearly, Amidala was not a noble representative of Naboo, but a vicious, self serving, harlot who…"

At this point, Pooja, who had been listening in absorbed, horrified silence, saw Luke suddenly leap up from his chair and step quickly over Darth Vader.

"Father," he said urgently, "He's deliberately antagonizing you. Please calm down."

Belatedly, Pooja noticed that the furniture was shaking. A quick look at Vader showed that his hands were clenched and he was standing rigidly.

Pooja stood up as well, and approached Vader with a courage that she didn't know she possessed.

She put her hand on Vader's arm.

"Lord Vader," she began…then, "Uncle Ani?"

Vader turned in shock at her use of that name, and the trembling stopped.

"We all know that he is lying about Aunt Padme. She was the most amazing woman in the galaxy, totally loyal, totally faithful. Please, don't cause damage to this place. It's not the most well maintained structure in the world."

Luke chimed in, "And if you get angry enough, Father, you may override our shielding. Leia and I are doing our best, but if you go volcanic, Palpatine may be able to pinpoint your presence. That would be a disaster for the plan. This is exactly what we expected, Father, though admittedly the Emperor is being even more vicious than we expected about Mother."

Vader nodded, and even with the expressionless mask, he seemed contrite, "I apologize. I think I had best move into the other room. You will keep me updated on anything further I need to know?"

Pooja hesitated, then said softly, "Would you like my company?" She had no interest in listening to Palpatine's attacks on her Aunt Padme, and by extension, their family.

Vader looked at her for a long moment, "I would be honored."

He turned and Pooja followed him into a large bedroom where Vader's breathing paraphernalia was housed. Vader sank into a large wooden chair, and stared, apparently blankly, at the wall.

His response to Palpatine's insults about Padme Amidala had surprised Pooja. She had assumed that the former Anakin Skywalker had abandoned Padme in a quest for power. So why would he care if his (former) master slandered her?

Unnervingly, Vader seemed to pick up on her thoughts.

"I loved her more than the galaxy itself, Representative Naberrie. I joined Palpatine and turned to the Dark Side in a vain attempt to save her."

Pooja sat down on a nearby chair and said wearily, "I think you can call me Pooja, Uncle Ani."

There was an uncomfortable pause, and then she burst out with, "What happened to you? I don't remember you well, but you were so kind to us. How did you turn into a…" She trailed away.

"Monster? Tyrant? A man who would murder children, torture his daughter, maim his son?" Vader asked. His voice sounded bitter through the vocoder.

Pooja didn't answer.

The dark mask turned toward her.

"I don't have an excuse, Pooja, but my son is very wise, far wiser than I was at his age. Great power brings great responsibility, but I thought I could use it carelessly for my own purposes, even if the purpose seemed noble. My power in the Force was so strong that I believed I could change destiny, that I could save Padme. I was wrong, and the galaxy, and my children, have suffered from my blindness."

"Save Aunt Padme?" Pooja asked in bewilderment.

The vocoder released a sigh, "Yes, I had prescient visions of Padme dying in childbirth, after she told me of her pregnancy. I had had similar visions about my mother a few years earlier. I dreamed of her in agony, dying on Tatooine, our home planet. I finally went to visit her and found she'd been abducted by a local tribe. I found her dying from the abuse. She died in my arm.

He suddenly stood up and started pacing, as if his words were too fraught with emotion to allow him to sit down.

"When I kept dreaming of Padme's death, I sought help from my Jedi masters though I could not tell them whom I was so concerned for. The grandmaster of the Order told me to let my loved one die, to submit to the will of the Force. I couldn't lose Padme. The then Chancellor Palpatine was a trusted mentor and friend. He told me…he told me that he had knowledge of Dark Side arts which would allow someone to change the future. He told me that if I pledged my allegiance to him, he would teach me how to save Padme from dying. He was manipulating me, but it was my fault. I gave in out of fear. I helped destroy the Jedi younglings in the Temple. I destroyed the Separatist leaders in cold blood. Padme … when Padme found out, she refused to join me in the Dark Side. I argued with her. I…"

He couldn't finish his thought, the memories apparently too terrible to share.

Pooja was startled at this outpouring of words from the Dark Lord. Perhaps Vader felt it easier to share all this with a stranger than with his children, who had suffered so badly at his hands. She felt a strange mix of horror and sympathy – horror that a good man could turn so terrible. Sympathy that the man before her was obviously grieving, 2 decades later, over his lost wife.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, "I'm so sorry that you lost Aunt Padme."

The black helmet turned to her in apparent surprise.

"Thank you, Pooja," Vader said. After a moment, he began pacing again.

"I thought the child had died as well. I had nothing to live for except to serve Palpatine. And since I'd already given him my allegiance and my devotion, I convinced myself the Jedi were at fault, that the Empire was better, that if we could just stamp out dissension that there would be peace and the citizens of the galaxy would benefit. Until a few months ago, when Luke's love broke through the barriers I'd erected around my heart, I continued to feel that way. Thus, I was the Emperor's brutal hand for more than two decades."

There was an interruption at the door, as Luke, Leia, and Han filed in, looking solemn.

Pooja stared at them, unnerved by the looks on their faces.

Vader spoke up, "What else did that foul old man say about Padme?"

Luke sighed, "There are two important details, Father – and Pooja."

Leia said gently, "Pooja, Palpatine ordered the seizure of Varykino, supposedly because the funds for its upkeep came from embezzlement. Of course, that is ridiculous."

Pooja felt herself grow pale, "My family?"

"Palpatine merely said they would be evicted. He mentioned that Varykino would be destroyed and the land used for a fertilizer plant. It's obvious he is trying to antagonize Father as he probably knows that he and Mother were married there."

"He does know," Vader said heavily.

Solo spoke up, "The signal from the Holonet station has an unusual frequency, in addition to the standard ones, a low one that travels well through soil. It seems likely that he believes Vader is underground in that mole miner, and he wanted to make the message was received."

"What else?" Vader demanded.

"Mother's tomb is to be destroyed at noon tomorrow, her body removed from the sepulcher, and her bones burned in a fire in the middle of the city in an open bonfire. Her portrait will be burned, her name will be removed from the records, etc. He couldn't be more obvious about trying to anger you, Father," Luke said.

Vader's fists clenched, but the furniture didn't start dancing. That was something.

"He has undoubtedly succeeded, my son, but I have my rage under control. Tomorrow, his reign ends, once and for all."


	22. Chapter 22

**_The next day, the darkness before dawn_**

A small band of cloaked figures moved quietly along a darkened and empty industrial street. The lead figure had a light cell directed towards the ground, and suddenly stopped.

"Right here."

There was a pause, and then a green lightsaber blade flashed on and carefully cut around the edge of a large cover in the street. The cover was lifted and set carefully aside with the Force.

Han Solo stepped forward and pointed his own light cell into the dark opening.

"Well, at least it doesn't look too wet and disgusting down there," he muttered.

"Pooja says these drains haven't been used in over a decade, ever since they constructed the new sewage system," Leia replied, "And it's a good thing they are so big, or Lord Vader wouldn't fit."

"Indeed I would not," Vader replied. He was struggling not to feel sour about this. He wasn't used to skulking through sewage pipes, however unused.

"I got into Xixor's palace on Imperial Center to rescue Leia by going through sewage pipes," Luke commented quietly, "And they were in use."

"Ew!" Leia responded, "Thanks again for that."

"Any time," Luke replied with a smile in his voice.

More seriously, he continued, "Ok, Han, so you'll stay here with transport available. I hope we'll be back in 8 hours at the most."

"You got it, Luke," Han said. He stepped over to his wife and gave her a firm kiss on the lips and a cautionary plea.

"Be careful, sweetheart. Take really good care of yourself."

"Don't worry, Han, I've got two of the strongest Force users in the galaxy looking after me."

 _Who are attempting to kill an ancient, powerful, devious Sith Lord_ , thought Vader. But he didn't voice his concerns. He found himself in surprising sympathy with Solo. It was hard letting a beloved wife go into danger.

Without further words, Vader, Luke, and Leia climbed down into the yawning hole and into the ancient sewage pipes. Luke carried a pack on his back and his lightsaber on his belt, Vader had his lightsaber, and Leia wore her blaster. Using the Force, Luke carefully lifted the cover back over the hole so it would not be observable from above. The pipes were gratifyingly large so that Luke and Leia could walk upright, though Vader had to bend somewhat. After a fifteen minute walk, they reached an open cylindrical room which was at least ten meters tall. Walkways encircled the room at two levels, and on the top level were several doors leading into places unknown. Ancient and rickety metal stairways led to each level.

Luke pulled out his datapad and consulted the maps that Pooja had provided, even as Vader relished being able to stand up straight. Tall was intimidating. Tall was helpful when fighting. Tall was thoroughly irritating when stuck in an old wastewater and sewage drain.

"Ok, we need that door," Luke said, pointing to a particularly dilapidated exit on the upper level.

He looked at his sister, "I'm not sure the stairs are safe, Leia, so I'll have a grip on you with the Force and if something gives way, I'll lift you, OK?"

She nodded, even as she started climbing. Thankfully, the stairs were stronger than they looked, and didn't give way even under Vader's bulk.

The corridor they stepped into was tall enough for Vader to walk without bending.

"It's amazing all this infrastructure is hidden away underground, not being used," Luke commented.

Leia made an irritated noise, "Pooja said it was a political thing. Some group wanted to upgrade the existing sewage and water runoff system, but another group had environmental concerns about the pipes and wanted to replace it all. The environmental group won, but they had ties to the construction company that obtained the very lucrative contract to build an entirely new infrastructure, so who knows whether the concerns were legitimate. Anyway, the old sewage system and associated maintenance corridors were abandoned 15 years ago. It's all actually in reasonably good shape."

Even as she said this, a small piece of the ceiling broke loose and fell on Vader, who brushed it away with a flick of the Force.

He thought it unlikely he would survive today's confrontation with his former master Palpatine. It didn't matter, so long as Sidious died and his children were safe. He looked ahead at Luke and Leia. How proud he was of them! Both had suffered much, both had endured pain and anguish that would have caused many much older people to break down mentally. Not only did his twins continue to fight on, they did it with grace. He had been startled, when he first spent time with them, to see how deep their friendship was, how much they laughed and joked together even while coping with the day to day stress of too much responsibility and unrelenting danger. Solo, too, was a tower of strength. He had disdained the pirate when first they met, but he now recognized and appreciated the Corellian's intelligence and courage and devotion to his daughter.

It reminded him of his time fighting side by side with Kenobi in the Clone Wars.

Kenobi.

It had been good to see him lately. Even though he protested and snarled at the dead Jedi, it was good to see him. It brought back memories of far better times. Well, if today's events ended as anticipated, perhaps he too would join his former master in the Force. If he were found worthy.

His musings were broken by a cave-in that blocked the corridor. An entire section of the ceiling had fallen.

Vader confidently stepped forward to consult with Luke. They would find their way into the Royal Palace, and he would confront Emperor Palpatine. And then the reign of Darth Sidious would be over forever.

 _11:00 a.m. Standard Time_

 _Throne Room, Royal Palace, Theed_

Emperor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, stared menacingly at the Imperial captain standing with bowed head before him.

"I trust my orders have been fulfilled completely, Captain?" he hissed.

The captain straightened his neck and looked meekly into his master's eyes.

"Your Highness, the electronic devices are placed as specified around Amidala's tomb. We have shock troops scattered throughout the area, though as per your orders, they are not concentrated in one particular building. There are two paths open for Vader to approach the tomb. We are ready for him, Your Highness."

Sidious kept his inevitable reflections to himself. No one was truly 'ready' for an enraged Darth Vader. Nevertheless, his little surprise for Vader would provide the necessary edge in the battle to come. He would no doubt lose many of his men, but men were replaceable. Darth Vader was as well. Once Sidious had young Skywalker in hand…well, he looked forward to that day.

He waved the Captain away and ruminated. He had sensed Darth Vader's Force Presence the moment he landed, though it was a diffuse sense. The bond between them remained irrevocably broken, and Vader was shielding well. Nonetheless, he was nearby, Palpatine was certain.

It was regrettable that he had had no Force visions about what would happen today. Odd, that, but the regrettable shift in the Force from Darkness towards the Light had wrecked havoc on his prescience. For one nerve-wracking moment, an alarming thought wormed its way into his brain.

 _A Sith Lord never has visions of the day he dies._

Sidious shook away that thought. He was stronger, and smarter, than Vader. Besides, it was unlikely that he would actually interact with Vader at all. His former apprentice had grown more patient with the passing years, but he had sensed roiling anger from the former Anakin Skywalker during his Holonet speech yesterday. Vader would be unable to think clearly when he went to Amidala's tomb to stop the desecration of that pathetic woman's bones. And when he came, Palpatine's troops would strike. And Vader would be gone forever.

Now if young Skywalker joined forces with his father, the situation would be much more serious. But Palpatine had not definitively felt another strong Light user on Naboo. It was hard to tell – Vader might be shielding his son? Or perhaps Skywalker's ability to shield had improved? In any case, if both men appeared at the tomb, Sidious would need to take other steps. But he had plans laid for that eventuality.

And of course, Vader might just try to force his way into the Palace and confront Sidious directly. While that seemed the less likely option, Palpatine could hope. He would enjoy destroying Vader slowly and painfully. He smiled with relish at the thought.

 _11:50 a.m. Throne Room_

Queen Soruna and her handmaidens walked into the Throne Room, which was lined with six of the Emperor's Royal Guards. The queen stepped toward the throne where Palpatine was seated, and lowered herself to her knees. The handmaidens moved into a semicircle around her, and kneeled behind her with meek heads bowed.

The Emperor made them wait for two minutes, before he stood up, approached, and said graciously, "You may rise, my loyal subjects."

The queen rose with her head bowed submissively, as did her handmaidens. He knew she hated to bow to him, but for all her youth, she was a wise woman. She knew that complete compliance was the only hope to avoid unpleasant consequences.

He also knew that she passionately hated this day's plans concerning Padme Amidala's tomb. The former queen was much venerated and his agents told Palpatine of significant unrest after his speech last night. It hardly mattered. He had meant to enrage Vader, and he had succeeded. He could trust his agents to introduce false information and reports to convince most of the populace of Amidala's perfidy.

A large screen, installed for the occasion, lowered from the ceiling at his Force command. It hung against the east wall of the Throne room, allowing Palpatine to watch it and the entrance to the Throne Room. He hadn't sensed Vader's presence nearby.

Five minutes passed. The vid screen showed the large equipment hovering near the tomb of Amidala, ready to force its way into the memorial, to tear up the elaborate garden, to knock down the statue of Amidala, to break her tomb into small rocks. Containers stood empty, waiting for her bones to be taken to the central Square of Theed, there to be burned. And there was no sign of Vader! He had thought his former apprentice would have burst in by now, lightsaber blazing.

He turned slightly to face the Holonet recording device that was hovering near the wall.

For the benefit of a hypothetical audience (the recording was not being broadcast live, but he might use segments of this later) he said, "In a few minutes, Padme Amidala will receive justice. There is no escape from the righteous judgement of the Empire."

Inwardly, he was perplexed. Had he made a mistake? Was Vader willing to stand by and let this travesty happen without interference? But wait…

He lifted his head and stretched out his Force senses.

Ah! Not at the tomb, here!

The door suddenly burst open with a Force push, even as the full powerful presence of Vader suddenly filled Palpatine's Force awareness. Vader had shielded incredibly well until this moment. There were collective gasps from Queen Soruna and her handmaidens as the tall, menacing figure of Darth Vader strode through the door, red lightsaber lit and ready.

Palpatine's Royal Guards reacted immediately to the threat to their master. Force pikes at the ready, they moved rapidly towards the Dark Lord, seeking to surround him and debilitate them with their weapons.

Palpatine stood still and calm, watching his former apprentice narrowly. He now anticipated a direct confrontation with Vader, and it filled his aged, malicious soul with glee. He would enjoy punishing the former junior Sith Lord. But for now, he would merely observe. He had no doubt his guards would perish under Vader's onslaught, but perhaps they would injure him in the process.

Vader stretched out his left hand, and sent one guard hurtling into the wall with a bone-shattering crash. Another guard lost his force pike, and then his life, to the red blade.

Vader crouched suddenly as a pike swung near him, then rolled over and kicked the guard with one powerful cybernetic leg. The man groaned and fell, even as Vader stabbed him through the heart.

The remained three guards regrouped and approached the former Sith more cautiously, apparently having decided that attempting to surround the Dark Lord left them too far apart. Vader leaped and spun over their heads in one swift motion, and decapitated two from behind. The final guard spun around and managed to strike Vader with his pike, before the red lightsaber crashed into his midsection, cutting him in half.

Palpatine narrowed his eyes with interest. Vader had shaken off that pike hit with great ease, suggesting that he'd augmented his armor. He could tell, however, that the cybernetics were the same ones that had been installed more than two decades earlier, so the upgrades had been merely surface level.

Vader, now standing amidst a heap of dead guards, turned to face the Emperor and stalked slowly forward.

"Palpatine," he rumbled coldly, "Your life is forfeit for crimes against the galaxy in general and me personally. I have followed you loyally for more than 20 years, and you now dare to defame my beloved wife, Padme Amidala Skywalker, even as you destroy the tomb where her body lies in peace. Today you die."

Palpatine's face creased in a pitying smile, his yellow teeth showing.

"Ah, my old apprentice," he said softly, "How predictable you are. It is regrettable that your foolishness has led to this. You might have lived long and prospered well under my tutelage, but your sad devotion to your criminal harlot of a wife has led you to make what will be, unfortunately for you, your final injudicious decision. Today _you_ die, Lord Darth Vader. And once you are gone, I will find your son and see whether he has more wisdom than his father."

He sensed the spike of outrage from Vader at the mention of his son. He was indeed attached to the boy. Palpatine took a step forward, even has he lit his own lightsaber, now grasped firmly in his wrinkled right hand.

"Do you wish for an audience, your Highness, or may the Queen and her acolytes leave?" Vader ground out, with a gesture at the queen. She and her handmaidens stood against the wall, the maidens cowering though Soruna stood tall.

Palpatine smiled slightly. The recording device had caught both Vader's attack and his traitorous speech. He would destroy the recording device and dismiss all witnesses, to conceal the rest of this confrontation. He was confident he could handle Vader. If Skywalker had accompanied his father, other plans would have been put into effect.

"By all means," he said with a gracious wave, "The queen and her handmaidens should depart and leave us to our … disagreement."

Queen Soruna hesitated briefly and then, with head held high, glided out of the room, her handmaidens scurrying thankfully behind her.

Vader waited until they were gone, then lifted one hand and gestured sharply. The recording device smashed into the wall and fell, sparking pathetically. Palpatine chuckled inwardly.

"I prefer that we have no audience, your Highness."

"As do I, Lord Vader."

The black armored giant loomed at the end of the Throne Room, while his former master stood, hunched and robed in black, at the other end, in front of the throne.

Palpatine looked at his erstwhile apprentice with interest. He was surprised at how self-possessed the man was. Well, that would end…now.

Under ordinary circumstances, he knew he was no match in a lightsaber battle with Darth Vader. But he always had backup plans. Casually, Palpatine reached out with the Force and pushed a button on a belt around his desiccated waist, even as he turned off his lightsaber and returned it to his belt.

And with a sudden groan of metal, Darth Vader fell to the ground as his legs gave way.

There was silence for a moment, and then the younger man struggled painfully to a sitting position using his mechanical arms.

Palpatine stepped forward, "Did you really imagine, my apprentice, that I would not take steps to ensure that you would not successfully betray me?"

He reached up spidery arms, and a barrage of Force Lightening flew towards Vader. With difficulty, Vader held up his lightsaber and deflected most of it, though a little bled through.

"From the very day I saved your life, when I remade you into the man whom you are, when I honored you with the glory of being my servant, I anticipated this day."

Again, blue white bolts flashed out. Again, Vader deflected most, but he cried out in pain as some penetrated his defenses.

The Emperor hissed in satisfaction, and explained in a silken tone, "Your cybernetics, designed by my greatest engineers, had a failsafe built into them. Deeply embedded are control chips, which would render your legs useless at my command."

The Emperor stepped closer still to his traitorous servant, and fueled with the anger of the Dark Side of the Force, increased the power of his Force Lightening on the black giant sitting helplessly on the ground. Vader struggled to deflect, but the strength of the bolts was too much. With a cry of agony, he fell completely to the ground on his back, and his lightsaber went flying. Vader attempted to roll over, but he was too debilitated. His arms lifted helplessly in an attempt to block the flow of lightening now surging through his circuits.

Palpatine sneered, even as he spoke with vicious glee, "I expected your rebellion at some point in our partnership, Lord Vader, but to give your life in a vain attempt to protect your son, to pathetically defend the honor of your late wife, was to act the fool even more than I possibly anticipated. You are lamentable creature, a failure to the Sith."

Vader's breathing was labored, the suit obviously failing, with blue sparks surging.

The Emperor took four more steps forward, and hissed sibilantly, "And now, Lord Vader, you will die."

Vader raised his helmet slightly from the ground, and spoke for the first time since his legs had collapsed.

"Yes," he said in a labored, wheezing tone, "And so will _you_."

The Emperor's danger sense flared, but too late. Four explosions ripped through the room, billowing out from the four pillars surrounding him where he stood in the center of the Throne Room. Faster than he would have thought possible, the columns collapsed. The ceiling teetered and trembled, and then the entire roof of the Throne Room caved in. Palpatine's vision was filled with masonry and bricks raining down and, in less than 10 seconds, he was buried.

 _Skywalker/Solo Safe Apartment, Theed_

Pooja stared in horrified fascination at the Holonet report being streamed live.

"There has been an explosion at the Palace, we repeat, there has been an explosion at the Palace. The explosion seems to be emanating from the Throne Room, where Queen Soruna welcomed his Royal Highness Emperor Palpatine in the last hour. There is no report on the location of the queen or the Emperor. We have reporters at the scene and will update as soon as possible."

There was a sudden inset image on the screen, showing smoke billowing up from the palace, starkly white against the blue of the sky.

Pooja shrank into herself, racked with fear and guilt. The Queen! Was she dead because to her decision to help the Skywalkers attack Palpatine? And what of her cousins? She loved them dearly, not just as relatives but as friends. Were they too dead, lost in the explosion? What had happened?

There was a soft growl and a large furry arm put an arm around her. She clutched at Chewbacca's arm with relief, glad to have someone with her during this difficult time. She had only met Chewbacca a couple of times, and she couldn't understand Shiyrriwook, but he was nevertheless a great comfort. He also helped her feel safe.

"Chewie will stay with you, Pooja," Solo had said just before the others had departed this morning, "If anyone tries to break in and bother you, he'll tear their arms off."

The Wookie was growling and murmuring to her, and while she didn't understand a word, she realized he was trying to comfort her. She straightened slightly. She knew that her cousins had lived through much danger and mayhem, and there was no reason to lose hope.

"The queen is safe, the queen is safe!" the female reporter shrilled, the depth of her emotion overriding any training she received. "We have reports… but wait, we have a live interview now with one of the Queen's handmaidens."

The scene shifted to a tidy corridor in the Palace, one that Pooja recognized as being several levels up and three corridors over from the Throne Room. The handmaiden talking to the reporter was visibly shaking, but didn't appear to be hurt.

"Darth Vader stormed in," she gasped, "He killed all the Emperor's guards. He accused the Emperor of defaming his _wife_! He said he was married to Queen Padme Amidala! He said he was going to kill the Emperor! The Emperor sent us all out! We barely escaped with our lives!"

The girl, for that was what she was, began sobbing hysterically, until another handmaiden came over and firmly led her away.

 _The Throne Room, under the rubble_

Emperor Palpatine shifted slightly and was able to get his right hand partially free.

It appeared he had underestimated his apprentice. So filled with forlorn and pitiful love for his wife and son, he had chosen to forfeit his own life by luring Palpatine into the perfect position to be buried when the embedded explosives had gone off.

Palpatine was grudgingly impressed. The plot had been more subtle than he had remotely anticipated.

(A part of his brain wondered how the backstabbing former Sith Lord had placed the explosives. He knew his men were supposed to sweep for such things. Well, there was no reason to consider that now, though later his men would pay dearly for their failure.)

For now, he had to escape. Using his Dark Side powers, fueled by hatred and yes, fear, he was able to shift the rubble slightly to create an air pocket. He moved a little. His left wrist was throbbing badly, either broken or badly sprained. It was immaterial. It would merely take time and Dark Side power to lift the rubble off his body. Once he escaped this tomb, he would have the best medical care the universe could offer.

To his left, a few meters away, he sensed the fading life of Darth Vader. Well, at least the man would be dead when this was over. And he would still live. He would overcome this, and his reign would continue until he could unlock the mystery of eternal life itself.

There was a sudden eruption of Force presence around him. Palpatine froze in shock. It was not Darkness, it was Light. It had to be, it _must_ be Luke Skywalker!

Where was he? Where had the young Jedi been during the confrontation with his father? And where was he now?

He split his concentration from the rubble, which he was holding up, so that he could probe.

Skywalker was…right below him, _beneath_ the floor where he was pinned. His danger sense flared, but again too late.

In one searing instant, a green blade cut through the floor and across his torso, cutting him in half.

 _Skywalker/Solo Safe Apartment, Theed_

Pooja hovered over the Holonet, staring so intently at the mayhem at the Palace that she could barely blink. The views by recording devices on the street showed frantic guards, Palace servants, and even the stray Imperial Stormtrooper rushing from the palace area. There was much screaming and yelling.

It was really surprising, in a way, that civilized people would act like a herd of panicked shaaks under such circumstances, but maybe she was being needlessly harsh. Perhaps she would have acted the same way when faced with unexpected terrors such as enraged Dark Lords and sudden explosions.

The male news anchor broke into the feed, his voice an octave higher than before, "There has been another explosion! Another explosion has been observed in the area of the Throne Room! We urge all civilians to evacuate the Palace Area. Repeat, there has been another explosion. All civilians should evacuate!"

Pooja Naberrie sank into a slightly noxious chair, and wept.

 ** _Author Note:_**

 ** _Prince Xixor is from Shadows of the Empire, which is an awesome Expanded Universe book._**

 ** _We are getting near the end of this fanfic though there are still a few more twists and turns. Again, thank you so much to those who review and follow. I would appreciate constructive criticism about the confrontation between Vader and Palpatine. What did you like? What didn't you like? Fight scenes aren't really my area of expertise. I love long thoughtful chats between characters, as you probably figured out by now!_**


	23. Chapter 23

**_Official Imperial Holonet Station, Naboo_**

"To reiterate, two hours ago, there was an explosion near or in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace. Fifteen minutes later, there was another explosion. The Queen of Naboo and her handmaidens are accounted for and safe.

The last confirmed sighting of Emperor Palpatine was in the Throne Room when he cloistered himself with his second in command, Lord Darth Vader. While Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader have not yet made a statement, we have confidence that they are safe and ready to deal with this vicious act of terrorism."

 ** _Free Naboo, Underground Holonet Station (associated with the Rebel Alliance.)_**

"Gentlebeings, we are broadcasting at multiple frequencies and at much higher transmission power than usual to give you a vitally important message! We have unconfirmed reports that Emperor Palpatine, who arrived here yesterday for Empire Week, has been assassinated! Yes, the despotic monster who ruthlessly killed our people, conscripted our youth, and snatched our farms and land is reported to be dead! Again, the intelligence is not yet confirmed, but a series of explosions ripped through the Throne Room of the Palace of Naboo only a few hours ago and Palpatine was reportedly at the epicenter. We will be updating as new details become available."

 ** _Official Imperial Holonet Station, Naboo_**

"Governor Britzen, we are honored to have you here. Please share with us any necessary information you have for the citizens of Naboo."

"As of this moment, I am instituting a night time curfew throughout Naboo, and a round the clock 25 hour curfew in Theed. All civilians in Theed are ordered to stay off the streets and in their homes for the duration of this crisis. While there have been no further detonations in the past four hours, we still need to thoroughly sweep the Palace for explosives. It is vital that all civilians stay away from the Royal Palace area in Theed. Any civilian found on the streets without an official pass will be arrested. I have issued arrest warrants for all members of House Naberrie, as it seems likely that this cowardly act is their response to the Emperor's brave decision to bring to light the criminal acts of the late Padme Naberrie Amidala."

"Governer, our viewers will want to know. Where is Emperor Palpatine? And is he in good health?"

"The location and health of the Emperor are classified matters."

"What of the report by one of the Queen's handmaidens that Darth Vader claimed to be the husband of Queen Amidala, and threatened his Royal Highness?"

"Thank you for asking that. It was of course the hysterical utterings of a mere girl, but the regrettable report has received widespread dissemination. Anyone repeating such defamatory information about Lord Vader will be arrested and executed. There is no truth, I repeat, no truth to the rumor that Vader defected from the Empire and stood in opposition to the Emperor in any way."

"Where is Lord Vader? And is he in good health?"

"The location and health of Lord Vader are classified matters."

 ** _Free Naboo, Underground Holonet Station (associated with the Rebel Alliance.)_**

"We have groundbreaking, incredible news. First, we have definite, 100% confirmation that Emperor Palpatine is dead. For more information, I will now speak to the anonymous source we will refer to only as Doctor.

"Doctor, welcome."

"Thank you. It is my honor and _personal_ pleasure to share the following with you. As already stated, we have direct confirmation from reliable sources that Emperor Palpatine is dead. Furthermore, we can definitively state that Lord Darth Vader attacked Palpatine and is responsible for his death."

"Where is Lord Vader? Was this a coup?"

"The initial reports are that Lord Vader also perished in the attack and subsequent explosions. Regarding his motives, we confirm that Lord Vader was previously the husband of Padme Naberrie Amidala. Lord Vader was previously the Jedi known as Anakin Skywalker."

"Does this mean that the rebel hero Luke Skywalker is the biological son of Darth Vader?"

"That is correct. Luke Skywalker is the son of Darth Vader. It appears that concerns for his son, and anger at the Emperor for the defamation of his dead wife, caused Lord Vader to attack and kill the Emperor, perishing in the process."

"What do you anticipate will happen now that the two highest ranking members of the Empire are dead?"

"There will be a power struggle and considerable upheaval. All beings interested in a free galaxy are urged to be on alert and ready to act."

 ** _Official Imperial Holonet Station, Imperial Center (formerly the planet Coruscant)_**

"We are honored to welcome Grand Vizier Sate Pestage to address the citizens of the Galactic Empire."

"Citizens of the Great and Glorious Empire, I am the bearer of tragic tidings. Only 45 minutes ago, 30 standard hours after a series of explosions ripped through the Royal Palace in Naboo, I received a definite report that Emperor Palpatine, the man to whom I pledged my life and honor, is dead by assassination at the hands of the traitor Darth Vader. Dear friends, all of us who knew him revered him. A great light has been extinguished at the hands of a wicked man. The galaxy will never be the same."

"Grand Vizier, we grieve with you. Are you able to tell us the location of Darth Vader?"

"I am pleased to report that Vader perished during the assassination. While the explosions have resulted in a complicated crime scene, our forensic experts found not only Emperor Palpatine's … remains, but also mechanical apparatus definitely established as being shattered remains from Vader's leg prosthetics. The vicious murderer of our glorious Emperor had a quicker death than he deserved, but he is dead."

"Your Honor, what will happen now to the Empire?"

"As of this moment, I am taking temporary control of the Empire. I urge all citizens to remain calm, to cooperate fully with Imperial authorities on your home planets, and to wait patiently for what will be a necessarily complex and challenging time. Be assured, however, that the Empire will endure."

"Thank you for taking a few minutes of your valuable time to reassure the subjects of Imperial Center and the galaxy as a whole, Grand Vizier."

 ** _Official Imperial Holonet Station, Naboo_**

"Governor Britzen, we are honored to have you here. Please share with us anything you wish to impart to the citizens of Naboo."

"I thank the citizenry of Naboo for remaining largely peaceful during this time of difficult time in our planet's history."

"Governor, many wish to know, will the Emperor be buried here, on the planet of his birth?"

"I have been in direct communication with Imperial Vizier Sate Pestage, who has temporarily assumed control of the Empire while the issue of succession is duly considered by the remaining leadership of the Empire. At his command, I arranged for Emperor Palpatine's remains to be reverentially moved to the Super Star Destroyer _Eclipse_ , which left en route to Imperial Center several hours ago _._ Emperor Palpatine indeed sprang from the fruitful soil of Naboo, but his full power and glory flowered far beyond this planet. It was the decision of the high level Imperial leadership that the Emperor must be buried, with full honors, on Imperial Center. There will be appropriate remembrances this week in Naboo, as the joy of Empire Week is tragically replaced with deep mourning over the loss of our beloved Emperor."

"Governor, there have been concerns about Queen Soruna. Is she well? She has not been seen in public since the assassination of the Emperor."

"Entirely for her own well being, Queen Soruna is in protective custody in the Imperial garrison in Theed. While Darth Vader may have acted alone, we are pursuing possible accomplices who assisted him in entering the palace unnoticed. Until the situation is stabilized, the queen will remain safe in Imperial care."

"What of the Naberries? Are they still under suspicion?"

"Given that there seem to be ties between Vader and Naberries, certainly. They are being detained and questioned as we speak."

"Governor!"

"What are you doing here? I told you that I was not to be disturbed during this interview!"

"Sir, my apologies, but the Rebel Fleet has just exited hyperspace and is bearing down on Naboo!"

" _What_?"

"Sir, we are under attack by the Rebel Alliance!"


	24. Chapter 24

**_Dawn_**

 ** _Theed, Capitol of Naboo_**

 ** _8 Hours after the Invasion (or Liberation, depending on one's political persuasion) of Naboo_**

Pooja Naberrie hunched deeply into the seat of the enclosed hovercar that was carrying her swiftly through the streets of Theed.

The more than 2 days since her cousins had left on their mission to kill Palpatine had been fraught with anxiety, and she continued to be thankful for the reassuring presence of the Wookie Chewbacca.

An hour ago, Chewbacca had woken her up from a fitful sleep and indicated it was time to leave. She hadn't miraculously become fluent in Shyriiwook so she didn't know where they were going, but she trusted him and rolled out of her seedy bed and wrapped herself in a cloak. A hovercar had pulled up in front of the ramshackle building where they had been hiding.

They had moved swiftly to the hovercar, which was droid controlled, and were carried rapidly down deserted streets. Above, in the sky, she could barely make out the glinting lights of Starfighters in battle, but with no sound and limited view, it was impossible to evaluate what was going on in the skies and space above Naboo.

As the sun broke the horizon, Pooja watched wearily as they traveled through dingy slums to lower middle class housing into the streets of the nouveau rich, until finally the car slowed and turned into the most exclusive area in Theed. Pooja sat up in surprise and trepidation. Was this right? She glanced at Chewbacca, who was grumbling softly to himself. She smiled slightly in spite of her anxiety; the car was barely big enough to fit the Wookie's large frame, so every square centimeter seemed to be filled with Wookie limbs and hair.

After a few minutes, the car glided to a stop and the window opened automatically. Two guards stood beside large gates which were the only entrance into a fenced in estate. Through sturdy bars, Pooja observed a palatial building set far back from the road, surrounded with mature trees and tasteful gardens.

One of the guards stepped forward to peer into the hovercar. He opened his mouth, then caught sight of the Wookie.

"Welcome, Representative Naberrie," he said, and signaled to someone. The gate opened, and the car turned and entered the grounds. Pooja looked around in amazement. While House Naberrie was old and respected, it had never had a home in Theed like this one. Where were they?

At the front of the house, an elderly man stood tall and regal in the early dawn light. Pooja gasped in surprise when she caught sight of his face. Elder Quintiz!

The door opened, and the Elder moved forward and spoke softly, "Please, both of you enter the house quickly and with your hoods over your heads. We'd prefer for you to keep a low profile.

Pooja obeyed, and soon found herself in a charming antechamber. The room was welcoming, with cushioned benches lining the sides of the room, and a variety of classic Nabooian art hanging elegantly on the walls. Pooja noticed all this in a flash, for her eyes quickly found the woman standing at the end of the room.

"Mother!" she gasped with delight, and moved forward with a relieved embrace.

"Mother, is everyone all right?" she demanded.

"One moment, my dear," Sola responded very calmly, with a slightly reproving gaze. Pooja felt instantly calmer. Yes, she was 31 years old, but when her mother used that tone she felt like she was five years old again, when her greatest fear was that she would miss out on some promised treat due to disobedience.

"Elder Quintiz, I thank you again for your exceedingly generous decision to harbor us," Sola stated.

"Sola Naberrie, it is my honor," the Elder replied. With a slight bow, he walked into an open door to his right.

Sola smiled, and drew Pooja through a doorway on the other side of the corridor. She gestured to Chewbacca to follow as well, which he did. Once they were through the door, Sola pushed a button and the door slid shut, leaving them in a corridor which stretched north, with multiple doors on each side.

"You must be Chewbacca," her mother said, "I am most grateful to you for watching over my daughter. I owe you a great debt as well."

Chewbacca growled in a pleased way, and seemed surprised but pleased when Sola gave him a quick hug. Her mother was taller than most Naberrie women, but she was completely dwarfed by the gigantic Wookie.

One of Pooja's distant relations appeared at the door, and offered to escort Chewbacca to a dining room for a meal, a proposition which Chewbacca accepted gratefully. Once they were out of the corridor, Pooja turned eagerly to her mother.

"Mother, what about…"

"Pooja, be at peace. I know this has been a frightening time for you, but there is no need to panic. None of our family members have been captured by the Governor and his minions. Indeed, almost everyone is accounted for, including all the cousins."

This was said with a significant arch of the eyebrow, and Pooja was not surprised when her sister Ryoo suddenly stepped close. Their mother had seen her sister coming, and had obviously decided to conceal the identities of the cousins Pooja was most concerned about. Pooja suppressed a sigh of relief. She had been so worried about Luke and Leia!

Ryoo and Pooja exchanged quick embraces. Their relationship was cordial but not especially close, as their lives rarely intersected anymore due to widely diverging careers and interests. Pooja knew too that Ryoo, though she had a good heart, had a loose tongue. Obviously, Sola had decided that Ryoo should not be part of the family secret yet. Pooja hoped the time would come soon to reveal the existence of the Skywalker cousins. Ryoo was a warm hearted creature who would enthusiastically welcome them into the Naberrie family.

"Is this the city seat of House Quintiz?" Pooja asked.

Sola nodded and said, "When Palpatine slandered my late sister Padme on the public Holonet, he struck at the very heart of Nabooian House culture. Your aunt was known and revered by many, including Elder Quintiz. He immediately mobilized his family and servants to rush all of us of House Naberrie into safe quarters. We have reason to be very grateful to him, but he knew and loved your aunt and has said that this is the least he can do in her memory. Now come, my dear, you need food and a shower, maybe not in that order."

Pooja agreed. She felt quite grimy after a couple of days in that rundown apartment. She was not surprised when Sola guided her to a room with a guard outside. With a nod from Sola, the guard opened the door and she passed through into a medium sized room.

It was furnished elegantly and comfortably with tan walls and dark green chairs, one of which held her cousin Leia Organa. On a chair next to her, with long legs outstretched, was Han Solo. A hallway led out of the other end of the room, and a closed door was in the middle of the adjacent wall. The outer wall contained a large window showed the glories of a clear Nabooian dawn. The gardens were magnificent. Even in these trying times, House Quintiz was exceedingly wealthy, partly because the previous Imperial governor had married into House Quintiz, which had resulted in long term protection even as Vader had protected Varykino.

Leia had a headset on and was talking to someone, but she leaped up and gave Pooja a side hug even as she kept speaking.

"Yes, I understand. The connection is secure so I don't think there will be a problem if I need to negotiate with him from here. I don't know, just a minute, please. I might be able to find out."

She hit a mute button and looked at Pooja, "Pooja, what is Governor Britzen like? Can you give us any insight?"

Pooja pulled her thoughts together, "He's a thug, Leia. He goes for brute force over subtlety. He's been heavy handed with the Queen and the Court and has been known to mete out harsh punishments for even a hint of dissension over Imperial demands. He also aims for more power than he currently has. He's treacherous. There isn't a noble bone in that man's body."

Leia shook her head, then unmuted the button and reported Pooja's words to the individual at the other end.

"Ok, we'll be in touch."

She removed the headset and smiled at Pooja.

"Oh Pooja, I'm so glad you are well. When the Governor sent out arrest warrants for your family, I was worried you might be picked up in the dragnet. It looks like Chewie took good care of you."

"Indeed he did," Pooja said with a grateful smile, "For all that I didn't understand a growl or a murmur, we managed to communicate quite well. I had trouble sleeping because I was worried about you, but with him standing guard I wasn't worried about _me_."

"Where is Chewie?" Solo asked.

When told, he stood and left, apparently needing to touch base with his co-pilot.

Leia gestured with her hand, and Pooja sank down into the chair next to her.

"Do you want to shower and change and eat some food now? There are bedrooms down that hallway, a small kitchen, and a refresher."

Pooja ignored this, "Leia, Mother said that Luke is all right. Where is he? Is he Ok? How is he doing about…you know… Vader…?"

A shadow crossed Leia's face, filling Pooja with dread. Apparently sensing this, Leia hastily said, "He's fine, Pooja, just fine. He's sleeping in the master bedroom right now. He's completely exhausted so we're letting him rest."

She gestured at the closed door.

"We're very grateful to Elder Quintiz. Your mother felt obligated to tell him which fugitives he was harboring, but as soon as he knew our relation to Padme Amidala, he welcomed us with open arms."

"Leia, what happened? Those explosions completely terrified me. Who set them off?"

Leia put a gentle hand on her cousin's arm, "We did, Pooja."

" _What_?"

Her cousin sighed, "Let me explain. I know we hid the plan from you but we needed to, Pooja. If…if you had been captured, it was vital that you not be able to betray us. I'm sorry."

Leia looked out of the window, and a shaft of sunlight bathed her face in a glow that lightened up the pallor of her cheeks. Pooja was suddenly aware that Leia was absolutely exhausted as well. What had happened in the last two days?

"Lord Vader was absolutely determined to kill Palpatine, Pooja. He was certain that Luke and I would never be safe so long as Darth Sidious lived. Our relationship was so strained that we never were able to talk freely about the past, but Luke has told me about what Palpatine did, how he drew our father in by pretending to be a trusted friend, how he manipulated our father by pretending to care about Mother, by promising Father could save Mother. And after Mother died and he thought the child had died as well, there was nothing left for him but to devote himself to the Empire."

Pooja was startled. This sounded like an excuse. Leia quickly went on.

"I'm not excusing him, Pooja. You know more than most how much I personally suffered at his hands. I'm just saying that I can just barely understand some of his reasons for doing what he did. Anyway, he felt like the biggest act of atonement he could give to the galaxy would be to kill the Emperor."

"I can't argue with that," Pooja replied.

"Oh, definitely," Leia agreed, "The problem was that when Vader and Luke were working together on… well, I shouldn't tell you where…anyway, they were doing some work on his suit, preparing for the battle against Palpatine. And they discovered, not surprisingly, that Palpatine had put a failsafe into Vader's leg prosthetics. If Vader attacked the Emperor, Palpatine could make him fall down. His legs would stop working. Darth Vader is an amazing warrior, but he couldn't possibly beat Emperor Palpatine without working legs."

"And he couldn't fix them?"

"Maybe, with time. With a lot of time. With more resources than he had. We decided, with Vader's – with my father's – full consent to leave the failsafes in there and try to draw Palpatine out since Sidious would think that he would have the upper hand in the confrontation. And obviously we succeeded in manipulating the situation to that end."

"So Vader knew that he was going to lose the battle against Palpatine?"

"He knew, Pooja, yes. He knew that at some point, the Emperor would hit the fail safe and he would collapse. He knew the Emperor would bombard him with Force Lightening, which would electrocute him from the inside out. Luke has a strong bond with him and he sensed…he sensed our father in great pain. He was very courageous to go up against the Emperor knowing what was facing him. More than anyone else in the galaxy, he truly understood what Palpatine was capable of, how powerful he was. And he knew that the Emperor would be enraged at his defection and would make him suffer."

Leia stood up now and walked to the window, looking out at the gardens. She turned after a moment, and tears glistened in her eyes.

"I'm willing to admit I was wrong about him. He was willing to sacrifice himself because he loved us."

"So what were you and Luke doing?" Pooja asked in a bewildered tone.

"Father used the schematics and maps to get into the Throne Room. We had mapped out another route, a thoroughly dirty one, I might add, to get into a large crawl space right below the Throne Room. It's a good thing Luke and I aren't big! It was built to allow access to various electronic and security systems for the Throne Room. While Vader was engaging the guards and Palpatine, Luke made holes with his lightsaber in the pillars that were accessible from the crawl space. He inserted explosives into the pillars. My job was to shield for Luke. I know this is obscure, but Force users can usually sense other Force users nearby. It was critical that Palpatine not sense Luke, or he would have altered his plan against our father. I don't know much about using the Force, but I'm apparently really good at shielding.

"Eventually, Vader was able to lure the Emperor into the perfect spot in the Throne Room and told Luke telepathically to set off the explosives. When the explosives went off, the pillars came down and Palpatine was buried. And Father was as well."

Pooja stood up and walked over to her cousin.

"I'm sorry, Leia. It sounds traumatic."

Leia turned around and looked at her gravely.

"It was, and Palpatine wasn't dead."

"How could have survived the ceiling caving in on him? And how did you know?"

"He is a powerful Sith Lord, Pooja. He was able to hold up the rubble. But Luke was able to sense both that he was alive, and also where he was. He brought his lightsaber up and cut through the floor and sliced him in half. And that was the end of him."

Pooja felt a deep sigh leave her. She realized that until this moment, she had been terrified it was all a big Imperial trick, that Palpatine was actually alive and waiting to reappear and wreak additional havoc on the galaxy. She knew she could trust Leia.

She asked anyway.

"You are absolutely, completely sure, Leia? Absolutely?"

"Pooja Naberrie, Emperor Palpatine is dead. I promise you. My brother killed him and even I felt his life snuff out. He is gone."

"And your father…I assume there was no way to get him out. Did you…you said your brother sensed him in great pain. That must have been agonizing. Did Luke feel him…die?"

"No."

There was a strange look on Leia's face.

Her cousin looked at her in horror.

"I don't understand, Leia. You…you mean you left him there alive? To expire in the rubble?"

Leia took a deep breath and sighed.

"No, Pooja, of course not. Luke would never have done that. And I guess I wouldn't either, if it had been my decision. No, Pooja, we dug him out, with a great deal of difficulty. And then after we had left the area, we set off another explosion to cover our tracks."

Pooja bowed her head. Poor Uncle Ani. At least the cousins would have their father's body to bury with honors. For all his sins, Padme's husband had died nobly and bravely.

"Where is his body now, Leia?"

"In the master bedroom next door, but we didn't haul a corpse in here. Our father is still alive."


	25. Chapter 25

In the amorphous boundary between deep sleep and dreams, Luke Skywalker became aware of the silken rope. It glowed white as it lay on the ground, leading him along a dark path with just the hint of starlight to illuminate his surroundings. Without conscious thought, he followed the rope. The path was smooth and wide, making it easy for him to walk. As he moved onward into the unknown, the sky began to glow from the rising sun, even as the color of the rope darkened. What had been white shifted to gray. Luke stared at it thoughtfully. Was this some manifestation of the sunlight? He knelt and picked it up a quarter of a meter, noting the surprising heaviness of the rope which prevented him from lifting it more. No, it was gray now, not white.

He continued on, the sun rose higher in the blue sky, and the rope continued to shift in color, though not consistently towards either light or dark. There were lengths than were lighter, others that were gray, and one section was black before turning light gray again. Then, just as he topped a hill, to see a lake and building in the east, the rope turned very dark gray, almost black.

He felt a chill in his bones and heart, even as his eyes beheld the glories of … Varykino. Though not Varykino as he had seen with his own eyes, but an even more vibrant, beautiful, well kept Varykino. A Varykino of the past?

Onward Luke marched, following the very dark gray rope, only to see it turn to medium gray, to light gray, and finally to vibrant white again. And now he was at the end of the rope, which was attached to a person.

Anakin Skywalker, who stood staring to Luke's left, stood tall and still with the end of the rope in his left hand. He was staring towards a terrace at Varykino. Luke stepped to the right of the father, to avoid being tangled up in the rope, and looked as well.

Two people stood on the terrace, 20 meters away, oblivious to their presence. The man was tall. The man was Anakin Skywalker. A young Anakin Skywalker, with short hair except for a braid, dressed in dark clothing. The woman, Padme Naberrie Amidala, glorious in white.

"Your wedding?" Luke asked.

"Yes," his father replied sadly.

The Anakin near him turned to look at him.

"You should have let me go, Luke," he said quietly.

Luke felt a surge of anger, but tamped it down.

"Why?" he asked evenly.

His father stepped a little closer, his face contrite, "Please don't think I am ungrateful for what you did, Luke. I know that getting me out of the rubble took superhuman strength, and then to carry me safely away, to pour your Force power into me so that I would survive – I know how much it took. But Luke, my life is of no benefit to you and your sister now. Rather, I will only bring shame and sorrow. If I had died heroically destroying Palpatine, there would have been some closure. Perhaps some would even celebrate that your father had the courage to destroy the despot that he blindly followed for so many years. Yes, I know you would have grieved losing me, but that would pass with time. What do you two have to expect now? Condemnation, for being the son and daughter of a tyrant. Public humiliation during a war crimes trial. And then you'll lose me anyway, my son. Execution is the only appropriate response for my crimes against the galaxy. And I am broken in the real world, Luke. I am old, ugly, burned, weak, useless. You should have let me go."

Luke stared at his father for a long moment, and then something inside him snapped.

"Do you think I care about that? Do you think I have the slightest, vaguest interest in what the Alliance leadership and the Imperial warlords and the press and the people of the galaxy think about you? About me? I don't care. All I want, all I have ever wanted, was to know my father. And now?"

Luke stomped over to the rope being held in his father's hand, and lifted it up.

"It is _white_ , Father. You have come back to the Light! I don't care what you look like, I don't care how weak or strong you are. I don't care if you have two weeks or two months or two years or two decades left in your life. I want every second I can with you. I want every minute, every hour, every day. I want to really know you, to talk about starships and flying and sand and your favorite food and what Mother was like. If that takes place in a prison cell, then so be it. I just want some time with you. Is that too much to ask? I have _fought_ and _suffered_ to be a part of your life. Why can't you do the same for me?"

Anakin looked at Luke in disbelief, and then burst into tears. His head bowed and his whole body shook with sobs.

Startled, then horrified, Luke stepped forward grabbed his father's arms and said, "I'm sorry, Father…"

"No," Anakin gasped out, "No, Son, don't be sorry. That is the best, the _kindest_ , thing anyone has ever said to me in my life. Ever. Everyone except for Padme and my mother always wanted something from me – they wanted my service or my power or my abilities or my devotion. You…you just want me. Luke, I don't deserve you."

Dream states were so odd, Luke thought in one corner of his mind. He was able to feel the sinew of his father's flesh arms. There was no mechanical apparatus, no burns, no volcanic ash from the fires of Mustafar. Both of them were whole. Even his own right hand, lost at Bespin, had been restored.

"Father," Luke said gently, after Anakin had calmed down, "I know your death right now would be easier. But easier isn't always better, certainly isn't always right. I don't want anything but you, but if you need a more abstract reason to live consider this. I don't know much about the history of the Jedi and right now, as far as I know, I am the last of the Jedi. Except for you. There were mistakes made in the Old Order, and you know about them far more than I do, and far more than a ghostly Obi-wan Kenobi will ever admit. If the Order is to be reestablished, and I'm not sure it even should be, I would benefit tremendously from your wisdom about what they did right and what they did wrong. Please Father, in the real world your body is failing. Please fight for me."

Anakin Skywalker leaned forward, white rope held tightly in his hand, and looked straight into Luke's eyes.

"I will, Son, I promise."

/-/-/-/-/-

"Luke? Luke?"

Groggily, Luke pulled himself out of sleep and sat up.

The master bedroom had been turned into a temporary medical ward, and what was left of Darth Vader lay on a large bed in the center. Two medical droids stood watch over him, and his sister Leia stood at one side of the bed, looking at her brother on his cot.

Luke stared at Vader. His father lay with his eyes closed. Just being able to see his face, even though it was obscured by a breathing mask, was an amazing experience. The helmet had been badly damaged by Palpatine's Force Lightening attack, and could no longer be used. Vader's one remaining full limb, his right arm, lay motionless next to him. His father's torso was still covered in the suit, but parts had been cut open by droids to allow for direct treatment of some of his injuries.

Luke felt a stab of guilt as the dream/vision came back to him. He could have left Vader in the rubble. Maybe he should have. When he had cut his way into the Throne Room of the Palace and moved some of the rubble off of Vader, his father's limbs were pinned down and crushed such that the only way to get him free quickly was to cut him loose. Of course, Luke would have hesitated far more over flesh and bone limbs. Prosthetics could be replaced. But his father did look weak and crippled, with only one full arm and his body and head showing damage from his confrontations with both his former masters – Kenobi long ago, Palpatine only 2 days ago.

Luke rolled to his feet and approached his father, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. No, it had been right to get his father out. He couldn't have lived with himself if he had let Vader die alone in there, slowly suffocating from the rubble and the Emperor's attack. If he did die soon, he would die knowing he was loved.

Leia touched his arm, and he looked at her concerned expression.

"How is he?"

"He's much better, Luke. We thought…we thought we were losing him while you were sleeping, but a few minutes ago his heart rate stabilized on its own and everything looks much better."

She smiled at him now, and Luke was struck with his sister's nobility. Vader was living for Luke's sake, and Luke was guiltily aware he hadn't considered what Leia's desires might be. She might want their father dead. If she did, he could not blame her. She was a politician, he was not. For her, having an ex-Sith Lord for a biological father might ruin her political life, and Vader had already devastated her in other ways.

He opened his mouth to say something, though he didn't know what.

Leia forestalled him, "Luke, we have a _situation_ which requires your special set of skills to resolve."

/-/-/-/-/

Imperial Governor Britzen sat at his desk, staring gloomily at the bottle of Alderaan Ruge Liqueur. It stared back, temptingly.

Well, in this particular case, there was no obvious reason to fight temptation. He poured another finger of the amber liquid into a glass, and threw it down his throat in one practiced move. It burned going down, and the haze in this mind intensified slightly.

Where had he gone wrong? He'd worked hard. He'd been ambitious. He'd flattered his superiors. He'd manipulated his equals. He'd abused his inferiors for personal gain. Two days ago, he was on the cusp of running his own personal tiny fiefdom. Of course, he would have continued to pay lip service to the new Emperor, whoever that was. But he knew that with the deaths of Palpatine and Vader, the chaos on Imperial Center would make the Outer Rim worlds of minimal importance.

He would have had this beautiful planet, to rule, to pillage, to make into his own private domain.

He sighed deeply. But no, the blasted Rebel Alliance apparently had the same bright idea! With Vader gone, and Palpatine gone, and Ryloth under Alliance domination, he should have known that Naboo could be next, as no entity in its collective mind would want to take over Tatooine. The appearance of the Rebel Fleet at the worst possible time, just after two attendant Star Destroyers plus the _Eclipse_ left for Imperial Center with Palpatine's body, was an added insult. It was almost as if…

No, it really could not be. He had been over this before, rolling it around in his mind and consulting with his advisors. For all the rumors that Darth Vader had been Anakin Skywalker and was the father of the noted Rebel Luke Skywalker – even if it was true, there was no chance the black monstrosity had allied himself with the Rebellion. He didn't know much about Vader, but the man didn't have a bleeding heart for anyone or anything. No, Vader had attempted a coup and died in the attempt, and his master with him.

Good riddance to them both.

But all the good was wiped out by the Rebel onslaught on Naboo. He glanced with near despair at his holopad, but did not pick it up. The reports were uniformly bad. At this point, the battle in the skies above Naboo was a lost cause. The Star Destroyers had either been destroyed themselves, or fled under the onslaught of the _Executor_ and other Rebel ships.

The _Executor_. How had the Rebels gotten control of her? She was Vader's flagship. Maybe that meant…

His thoughts ran in a little circle and staggered to a halt. He couldn't work it out.

Britzen looked at the liqueur. It must be even more potent than advertised to affect him so. He had a hard head for liquor.

Well, getting roaring drunk tonight would probably be fine. There wasn't liable to be any direct contact from the Alliance _yet_. They would no doubt complete their victory in space, and land ground forces, and engage the remaining Imperial ground forces, and lay siege to the Imperial garrison where he was holed up safely.

And then, the negotiations would begin.

He leaned back in his chair. At least he had been wise enough to snatch Queen Soruna. The Rebels pretended, anyway, to be of the people and for the people, and the queen was exceptionally popular. He had her locked away in a very secure cell, surrounded by guards. He would use her as a hostage to allow him to leave the planet, and not empty handed. He would insist that his private accounts (which had been augmented by careful juggling of Imperial resources) be transferred to the Corellian system. He could either settle in there and live a comfortable if somewhat dull life, or possibly move back to Imperial Center at some point with the hopes of rising in the new Empire. He would have to contemplate that, however; the situation might be so volatile for some time that avoiding that mess might be the wisest course.

At any rate, he had a plan. And an expensive liqueur to finish…

There was a sudden beep at the door. With a growl, Britzen glanced at the door monitor, identified his second in command, and pressed the button which allowed him to enter.

"I believe I told you not to disturb me," he snarled, slurring his words just slightly.

"I apologize, sir," his second said with his eyes focused on the wall behind Blitzen.

He had always appreciated that his second ignored the times when his governor was clearly under the alcoholic weather.

"Sir, we have a direct holocall from Princess Leia Organa, of the Rebel Alliance. She wishes to negotiate for the release of Queen Soruna."

Britzen felt his jaw go slack, and some drool tracked its way down his chin. He quickly wiped it on his sleeve.

Princess Leia Organa? Now? This was not what he expected at all, with Naboo still partly under Imperial control, and Theed a battlefield.

But negotiation now was preferable to later. Now, he had more to bargain with. He could offer a complete surrender of Imperial troops in exchange for additional financial incentive.

Ignoring his second, who still stood at attention, he pulled up Princess Leia Organa's file.

His first thought was that she was gorgeous. What was a girl like that doing fighting in a war? She should have been married to some politician or Imperial governor and been taking shaak milk baths. A quick perusal of her file revealed that she was more than a pretty face, but a skilled negotiator and fighter. She had a reputation for recklessness with her own life in pursuit of her ideals. Britzen shook his head. She was young. In the unlikely event that she survived 10 years, she'd be less naïve and idealistic.

Ah, interesting! He had forgotten that she was from Alderaan. Hmmm, maybe he could offer her the rest of that Alderaan Ruge Liqueur. Perhaps they could negotiate in person while sharing liqueur! Not that she would be that stupid.

He could suggest it. If she was really reckless, she might go for it. And if he had a queen and a princess under his control – he'd probably be able to demand a Star Destroyer with men on his way out.

He finally looked at his second.

"Give Princess Leia the following message…"


	26. Chapter 26

**_4 hours later, Imperial Garrison, Theed, Naboo_**

 ** _Meeting between a (now sober) Governor Britzen and Princess Leia Organa of the Rebel Alliance_**

Governor Britzen stood up as the door opened and Princess Leia Organa stepped calmly through the door to his private conference room.

Outside the room, he saw two guards line up beside the door. He knew another twelve were stationed along the corridor out of this private room, nominally as an honor guard, but in fact to prevent the princess from escaping.

He kept his face straight even while inwardly he gloated. Idealists could be so naïve.

During their interchanges yesterday, Britzen had stipulated that the princess bring only one companion, and that neither of them would be armed. Incredibly, she had agreed, in exchange for his assurance that she would neither be molested or prevented from leaving. He had, of course, assured her of his honorable intentions for the negotiations.

He glanced at her lone companion. He was human, not especially tall, and he seemed to be young. It was somewhat difficult to tell as his face was covered with what seemed to be ritual markings of green and blue. He was dressed in dark robes, though his dark blond head was bare.

Governor Britzen held out a hand for the princess, who gave hers to him. Courteously, he raised her hand to his mouth and pressed a courtly kiss, even as he observed her covertly under lidded eyes.

She was even more beautiful than her Wanted Poster. Amazing that such a lovely lady had not yet been snapped up in marriage to some high level individual in the Alliance.

"Your Highness," he said, "It is truly my privilege to meet you. I am honored that the Alliance would allocate such a lovely and important personage for these delicate negotiations."

The Princess gave him a hard look, "You may dispense with the pleasantries, Governor. The situation is complex, as you said, and many lives are being lost as we speak. May we therefore commence the negotiations as quickly as possible?"

Britzen smiled through a flash of irritation, and indicated that the princess should sit down on one of the chairs. The leather was from Krayt Dragons, though regrettably the Canyon Krayts as opposed to the Greater Krayts, which were even rarer and more expensive.

The princess sat down, her pristine white robes rustling slightly before falling gracefully to the floor.

Her companion remained standing.

Britzen gave her a questioning look, "Will your colleague be joining us in the discussion?"

Princess Leia turned to the man and uttered some command in a language Britzen did not recognize. The man responded in the same tongue, and moved to the side of the room, where he kept his eyes roving constantly.

Ah, a bodyguard.

"He does not speak Basic?" Britzen inquired skeptically.

"He understands much of what we are saying, Governor, but it is the practice of the Furina Guards to speak Ubese with their … employers, if at all possible. It is a privilege to be guarded by one of the Furina, and fortunately I am fluent in Ubese."

Britzen gave the man an interested look. So this was one of the Furina Guards. They had a reputation of being stellar bodyguards, skilled in hand to hand combat and willing to give their lives for those they had sworn to guard. While mercenaries for hire, they were reputed to have some unknown code in choosing whom they would protect. The protection of a Furina meant that the Princess was indeed worth much to the Alliance.

So much the better.

Skilled at hand to hand combat or not, this man would have no chance against a hail of blaster fire.

"Shall we get down to business, Princess?"

"Certainly, Governor. It should be obvious to you that the Empire has no hope of maintaining control of Naboo. In the interests of reducing bloodshed, I hope we can negotiate a quick resolution to this conflict. We do not wish to cause undue suffering to either the rank and file Imperials or the citizens of Naboo during this crisis. Of course, we also are concerned for Queen Soruna's well being."

"Princess Leia, as you know, every Imperial on this planet, from myself to the lowest ranking Stormtrooper, has sworn an oath to honor and defend the Empire. It is ludicrous to even consider that we will simply lay down our arms and leave Naboo to the treacherous Rebellion."

Princess Leia stared at him for a long moment, and her right fingers tapped her knee thoughtfully.

Suddenly, she seemed to make a decision and she leaned forward slightly.

"Governor Britzen, I assure you that your reputation proceeds you. You are ambitious, greedy, and willing to sell your own mother to the highest bidder. While I am certainly skilled in extensive negotiations, I have no wish to waste either of our time. So just be direct, what do you want?"

Britzen was initially taken aback, then smiled slightly. He had no wish to waste time either.

"Very well, Princess. I will order all Imperial Forces to surrender and will hand over the all passwords and relevant weapons' information to your forces in exchange for one billion credits and safe passage off this world."

Organa didn't react noticeably to the ridiculously high amount of money. It was a starting point for the negotiations.

"And Queen Soruna?" she asked finally.

"The Queen will accompany me off planet and will be released just before I go into hyperspace. Given your education and experience, I'm sure you can understand that I am unwilling to release her before I am safely away."

"So to be utterly clear," the princess said, "Queen Soruna is your hostage."

Britzen paused. This was of course treachery of the highest degree, to exchange the Queen and Imperial secrets for money and safe passage off world. But he knew the princess and her bodyguard had been thoroughly scanned for weapons and electronic recording devices before being allowed into the garrison.

"Between you and me, Princess, she is indeed a hostage," he finally responded with a silky smile, "Entirely in the way of business, of course."

Princess Leia leaned back and closed her eyes for a long moment. She then sat up and stated calmly, "I believe before we proceed any further in the negotiations, I need to see Queen Soruna in person. For all we know, you have executed her already."

"That is of course ridiculous, Princess. I would not harm so valuable a hostage."

"Nevertheless, I must see her in person. Hostages have been accidentally killed. Entirely in the way of business, of course."

Very well. The next stage would occur more rapidly than Britzen had originally anticipated.

"Please accompany me, your Highness," he said, and rose from his chair.

The princess fell into step behind him, and her silent bodyguard behind her. As Britzen passed out of the conference room and into the hallway, he spoke briefly to his captain, instructing him and ten guards to follow them.

He thought, with a twinge of humor, that they made quite a ridiculous parade. However, with a Furina as Organa's bodyguard, it was wise to be overly cautious.

A ten minute walk, through a maze of passages, brought them to the high security cell block AA. An additional officer and 2 troopers stood in the control room, with one corridor of cells stretching out opposite the main, guarded door. Britzen led the princess and her bodyguard to cell 23, and pressed the entrance button to open the door.

The door slid open, revealing a reasonably large room. The cells in AA were larger than in the other cell blocks, and were equipped with a reasonably comfortable cot, a small refresher, and a desk.

Britzen gestured to Princess Leia to step into the cell. She spoke a few words in Ubese to the Furina, who obediently stepped to one side of the corridor and waited.

Organa stepped into the cell and advanced on Queen Soruna.

Britzen followed her in, shut the cell door, and let his hand slip to the blaster at his side. Really, this was entirely _too_ easy.

Organa seemed entirely focused on the Queen.

Soruna had not been harmed, but several days of strain and lack of sleep made her look frail and drawn, quite unlike the regal royal who had presided so competently over her court. She had removed her make-up and she looked every centimeter the 16 year old, a 16 year old girl whose life had suddenly become more complicated and frightening than she had ever imagined.

Princess Leia approached and apparently smiled, though her back was to the Governor. But Queen Soruna's expression, which had tensed in fright, now relaxed.

"Queen Soruna, I'm Princess Leia Organa with the Rebel Alliance. We are negotiating with Governor Britzen for your release. I insisted that I see you to be assured that you have not been harmed. Are you all right? Are you injured?"

Soruna's chin lifted, training winning out over fear.

"I have not been physically harmed, your Highness," she said in a low, clear voice, "But it is an outrage that I am being held hostage by Governor Britzen so that he can impose his will on the people of Naboo."

The Governor pulled out his blaster and raised it, pointing it at Leia Organa. Queen Soruna's eyes widened, causing Organa to turn around swiftly.

"And now I have a princess to add to my hostage collection, Princess Leia Organa."

Organa's eyes narrowed, but she didn't flinch or seem frightened.

"Governor Britzen, may I remind you that you promised me safe passage during the negotiations?"

"I'm afraid I deceived you, Princess," he replied smoothly. Really, these Rebels. How had they survived 6 months with this kind of foolish trust?

The door behind him slid open.

"I trust you had little difficulty with the Furina, Captain?" he asked without turning around.

In one swift motion, the blaster was yanked painfully from his grip by an unseen force.

Britzen spun around in shock. The Furina stood in the doorway, and behind him was a heap of white armored bodies. In his right hand was a green glowing blade, which the governor belatedly realized was making a peculiar humming sound.

"I'm afraid he's too dead to talk at the moment, Governor," the bodyguard responded without a trace of Ubese accent.

Britzen backed up in terror and suddenly found himself in an invisible vice, which turned him around and pushed him face first against a wall. He felt his hands pulled behind his back and a moment later there was the click of handcuffs, fastening his wrists together.

The vice released, and he turned around, mouth hanging open in shock.

Princess Leia stepped forward, "Really, Governor, how stupid do you think we are? You Imperials are such _idiots_ sometimes."

Britzen found himself stammering in total shock and terror, "How, how did you…"

"Meet Commander Luke Skywalker," Organa said, "Our resident Jedi knight. He's entirely capable of taking out a squad of your men without a weapon, but since he can use Jedi mind control he was able to enter the facility with his lightsaber. He also arranged for me to bring a recording device in on my person, Governor, so we have audio proof of your treachery against both the Alliance and the Empire."

Britzen was too stunned and terrified to say anything, but Organa's interest in him seemed to have disappeared anyway.

"Queen Soruna, I promise you that you will be safe with us. We hope to end the battle in Naboo as quickly as possible with your help. The official Imperial Holonet station is here in the garrison. With the recordings of Britzen's treachery, and your assistance, I believe we can convince at least the native troops of Naboo to lay down their arms. Pooja Naberrie has a message for you. She tells me that Britzen's second in command is a more honorable man, and we may be able to negotiate a ceasefire with him…"

She handed the Queen a holopad. Soruna apparently read the message and approved of it, as she and Princess Leia immediately plunged into a discussion which included phrases such as "exchange of prisoners", "medical care for the wounded, and "honorable discharge of conscripted stormtroopers".

Britzen decided that if there was any time to grovel, it was now.

"I promise you I intended no harm at all to her Royal Highness, Commander Skywalker," he said meekly, "There was an unfortunate misunderstanding…"

"Governor, I suggest you be silent or I will chop off your head with my lightsaber," Skywalker said with glacial calm.

Governor Britzen decided to be silent.

 _Author's Note: Ok, so first of all I need help from grammar gurus. Should Queen Soruna be referred to as "the Queen" or "the queen"? For some reason, it isn't obvious to me so I think I keep switching it around depending on my mood._

 _Secondly, I will admit this whole chapter was a delicious treat for me. In the movies and in the official books, Luke never comes in and just stomps everyone. I mean, I realize there has to be drama, so Luke has to have major injuries, or go up against incredibly strong Sith Lords or mad clone Jedi with armies behind him. I know that. But realistically, a guy like Luke is occasionally just going to go up against an arrogant moron like Governor Britzen. So here you go. Arrogant moron. Who gets stomped._


	27. Chapter 27

_Author Note: Thank you, grammar gurus! It now makes sense to me that if we are referring to the Queen Soruna, she would be described as "the Queen". If I am saying, "the queen of Naboo is traditionally a teenager" than it would be lower case queen. I'll go with that._

 _14 weeks later, 12 weeks after the full liberation of Naboo by the Rebel Alliance_

 _Varykino, Naboo_

Pooja Naberrie jumped hastily from her speeder and waved a thankful hand at her pilot.

She approached the front door of the Main House at a near run, and was relieved when her mother Sola came out to meet her.

"Mother, I'm so sorry I'm late," Pooja gasped breathlessly, "There was an extra session for the Representatives regarding upcoming war crimes trials and I couldn't get away earlier as I'm on the committee."

Sola put a comforting arm around her daughter, even as she guided her upstairs to her room. Pooja noticed, abstractly, that the new construction on the house was nearly finished. It looked much better than the last time she was at Varykino, when the front hall had been nearly demolished.

Her mother said reassuringly, "It's all right, my dear, Luke and Leia are running a bit late as well so we're delaying the ceremony until they can get here."

Pooja paused in the act of pulling off her dress and spun around, "I am so thankful Luke and Leia could get away to be here!"

Sola nodded, even as she pulled out a dress of light green from Pooja's clothing chest.

"Yes, but do get dressed, my dear. I'm going to go down to mingle with our other guests. Please come down as soon as you can."

Pooja nodded and applied herself to the task of swiftly changing her clothing. Her hair – well, it was a mess, so she ran a brush through it and hastily rolled it into a complex bun. With a sad smile, she remembered her early attempts at this hair style when she was a child. Her Aunt Padme used to help her. Another beautiful memory, with the accompanying sorrow of having lost Padme too soon.

She slipped on the dress of green, which was the color of mourning for House Naberrie. She looked in the mirror. The last several months of stress and fatigue had worn new lines in her face, but she didn't mind. Great things had happened, and were happening, on Naboo. And she was a very small part of it.

She descended the stairs at a dignified pace, and walked toward the back of the house.

The large chamber she entered had been variously used in the past as a ball room, a sleep area for an overflow of extraneous guests, and, in times past, as a meeting hall for the Lake District.

In the past years of the Empire, it had been used infrequently.

Pooja was thus startled to see it full of people, most of them sitting on chairs conversing quietly. Pooja recognized some of the politicians from Theed, some neighbors from nearby villages and cities, and an extensive array of distant cousins and relatives. There were two sections of seats with an aisle up the middle of the room. At the front of the room stood a simple table made of Nabooian greenwood.

The room was a viridescent sea, as all those present were wearing a variety of shades ranging from sea green to emerald to jade. There were tall vases scattered variously along the walls, filled with exceptionally beautiful snowblooms.

Sola gracefully broke off her conversation with another Representative and came over to Pooja.

"Queen Soruna herself sent the snowblooms," she said softly to Pooja,"Snowblooms were your aunt's favorite flowers."

There was a prolonged rustle from the guests, as the back door to the chamber opened and Queen Soruna herself came in with her attendant handmaidens. In deference to the occasion, they were dressed in matching garb of muted green. The Queen moved gracefully towards the front of the room, where a group of chairs had been set aside for her and her retinue. She paused to speak briefly with a red haired woman sitting in the front row on the other side of the aisle.

"Who is that?" Pooja asked softly.

"Mon Mothma, one of the leaders of the Alliance," her mother replied just as quietly, "She and Padme were Senators together in the waning days of the Old Republic."

The soft notes of a flute sounded. Pooja and Sola walked swiftly to the front of the room next to Queen Soruna. All other attendees moved to their seats, but stood to face the aisle.

The doors in the back swung open. A box, inlaid with silver, floated through the door, followed solemnly by Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, and Han Solo, all dressed in dark green.

The guests watched in grave silence as the traditional music of House Naberrie wafted through the room, and the box levitated to the front of the room and sank gently onto the table.

Padme's children and Solo sat down next to Mon Mothma, and everyone else in the room lowered themselves into their chairs as well. After a moment, Ruwee Naberrie rose carefully to his feet.

Grandpa Ruwee's health had continued to deteriorate, and Sola stood to help her father walk slowly to the front of the room and stand next to the table with the box holding Padme's remains.

For a long moment, Ruwee stood observing the crowd. Finally, he spoke in a voice redolent of age and infirmity.

"Dear friends, colleagues, and neighbors, it is truly an honor to welcome you here to Varykino as we lay to rest the earthly remains of my dear daughter, Padme Naberrie.

"As the eldest living member of House Naberrie, I thank Queen Soruna and her government for offering to design and build a new monument for Padme after the wanton destruction of her tomb in Theed. However, after discussions with the rest of my family, including Padme's children, we decided to lay her to rest here on Varykino, where she spent some of the most precious times of her life.

"I am an old and ill man, and look forward to joining Padme in death in a short time. For those of you who did not have the privilege to know her, I wish to say that she was the Light of my life, along with her sister Sola. Padme was a brave and brilliant woman, a patriot, a leader. She was also a gracious daughter and sister, a loyal wife, and she fought hard for her children when the end came."

"Friends, it is my honor and privilege now to introduce my grandchildren. It has been the greatest gift of my old age to discover that Padme's children lived after 24 years of believing the child had died with the mother. To learn that …"

Ruwee choked up now, but then gathered himself, "To learn that Padme's children, twins, survived and have fought for the freedoms that their mother did has brought joy to my life and all those of House Naberrie. Friends, I am privileged to introduce to you Leia Organa Solo and Luke Skywalker."

Pooja watched as the twins stood up with almost spooky synchronicity, and walked forward to stand side by side, hand in hand, at the front of the room.

Leia, being the politician, spoke first, but simply, "Friends and family, I found out during the last two years that Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker was my father. That was, as you can imagine, very difficult news. Sometime later, Luke and I learned that Padme Amidala was our mother. As the adopted daughter of Bail and Breha Organa, I spent much of my childhood studying politics. I poured over my biological mother's speeches and writings, long before I knew of my relationship to her. The anguish of learning of my paternity was greatly lessened when I learned that Padme Amidala, one of the greatest of Naboo's queens, a patriot, and a truly great lady, was my mother.

"It is our privilege to be here as her biological remains are laid to rest here at Varykino. More than that, we delight in meeting and knowing our new family and our mother's friends. While our mother died too soon, we hope and believe that her legacy will be carried on in our lives and in the lives of my own unborn twins."

There was a rustle of astonishment at this announcement of her pregnancy, but her brother Luke spoke up now.

"I am thankful to be here at Varykino, on a free Naboo, in a galaxy which has changed rapidly in the last few months due to the death of Emperor Palpatine. Our father's crimes were monumental, and there can be no full absolution. Nevertheless, he did choose to attack Emperor Palpatine in spite of the full awareness that it would likely lead to his death. While his soul dwelt in darkness for decades, his love for our mother and care for her children turned him back toward the Light. While our parents' marriage ended in tragedy, Leia and I are thankful for the legacy of hope – hope that even the hardest heart can be softened, hope that the future can be brighter for beings across the galaxy. And while we grieve that we never knew our mother, we are blessed to learn more about her life and love from those who knew her personally. We thank all of you who have shared memories, both extensive and simple, about her life and legacy. We are honored to be her children."

There was a solemn pause, and then, in accordance with custom, all present stood. The doors at the back of the room were opened by Pooja's second cousins, and the mourners filed gravely out into the garden. Again, an aisle was formed by the attendees, and Padme's remains, in their box, were levitated and guided by the Force down the aisle and into a hole that had been dug in the soft soil next to a bed of snowblooms. Pooja felt a quick glimmer of amusement at the surprised look on various faces at the floating box. It had been many years since a Force user had operated openly on Naboo.

Once the box was in the hole, Luke and Leia physically shoveled dirt into the hole to cover it.

When the hole was filled and the soil patted smooth, most of the guests retreated to the house for refreshments and conversation. Pooja, her mother, her grandparents, and Luke, Leia and Han Solo remained behind for a few minutes of reflection. Pooja noticed, vaguely, that the Alliance Leader Mon Mothma disappeared into the back yard with an aide by her side.

Luke and Leia stood side by side in front of the grave, again holding hands. Solo stood to his wife's right, with his arm around her shoulders. Pooja moved slightly to watch the twins. While their eyes were closed, there was an intent look on their visages that made her think they were communicating. Pooja noticed for the first time the very slight bulge in her Leia's abdomen, the first physical sign of the babies' presence. She smiled to herself at the thought her aunt's grandchildren.

After a few minutes, Leia said softly, "That's fine, Luke. Han and I can be the official presence."

Luke frowned, "Are you sure? I don't want to dump you with this."

Leia dug a gentle elbow into her twin's side, "Seriously? I can do a kind and welcoming crowd for hours. I'd far rather do that then…"

Pooja's eyes met Solo's. He grinned at her and said, as if reading her thoughts, "Yeah, they are like this a lot. It's like listening to a quarter of a conversation."

Luke flushed slightly, "I'm sorry, Pooja…"

"No, that's fine," she responded promptly, "Since your activities on this planet resulted in the death of a vile despot, you have my official permission to be as weird as you like."

The twins smiled and then, after another exchange of looks. Luke stepped forward and said, "Pooja, would you like to accompany me on a walk on the estate? Leia and Han will host the gathering back in the Main House."

Pooja's eyebrows knit is bewilderment, but a quick look at her mother showed Sola nodding so this was obviously sanctioned and planned.

Quietly, she followed Luke into the woods. She quickly realized that the path they were taking was the same as the one she and Leia had taken back to the dilapidated guest house, except that now the track was well worn and, when she looked at it carefully, had been stabilized with small stones.

She wasn't sure what they were doing, but she enjoyed these few minutes of silence as they walked through the trees. The mild winter of Varykino would be on them in a couple of months, and the late autumn wildflowers were in evidence.

All too soon, they approached the old guest house. To Pooja's astonishment, a fence had been erected which completely surrounded what she could see of the guest house. The fence was not a casual affair either; it was tall and bristled with electronics and warning signs declaring that the area was under quarantine. In the air above the safe house, Pooja noticed the effervescent signature of a force field containment system. How much did this all _cost_?

"Is this where our relative is staying?" Pooja asked, the pieces fitting together suddenly.

Luke lifted an eyebrow, "That depends on which relative you are talking about."

Pooja frowned as Luke walked over to a gate, where he entered a code which caused the gate to slide open.

"Mother said that one her distant cousins had been recovered from a prison where … where the Empire was doing experiments with biological agents. There were concerns that he had been contaminated or infected and needed to stay away from people until he had finished quarantine."

"That's the official cover story, yes," Luke replied apologetically, "The truth is…well, you'll see the truth in just a minute."

Curiously, Pooja followed Luke into the guest house. It had been improved further, with the entrance now completely redone so that there were no longer splinters or holes in either floor or walls. She followed Luke into the main living room area and stopped in bewilderment.

Four people occupied the room, with three sitting on comfortable but casual chairs and the fourth standing with focused attention against the wall. Two of those on chairs were Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance, and her aide. The individual standing drew Pooja's eye quickly. She was a Togruta of medium height, with long white and blue montrals. Her bearing was military, and Pooja noticed a lightsaber on her belt.

The last individual was unknown to Pooja. He appeared to be a tall male human, but his face was completely pale. His uncovered head was a mass of scars. Pooja shuddered sympathetically. What had the Empire done to this man?

Mon Mothma looked up and said, "Welcome, Commander Skywalker, Representative Naberrie. Commander, your father has just given us key insights into the situation on Kashyyyk. As you know, the Alliance is pushing into that sector and if we can free Kashyyyk and the Wookies…"

Mothma's words faded away for Pooja as the meaning penetrated her mind.

Her shocked gaze focused in on … Uncle Ani? This was Uncle Ani?

Tears sprang to her eyes. She barely remembered Anakin Skywalker from her childhood, but she had vague memories of a handsome man with dark blond hair and an easy smile. This poor soul looked like he had been through hell. For all the suffering he had inflicted on the galaxy, he too had obviously suffered much.

Too late, Pooja realized that she was surrounded by two strong Force users. Or perhaps three. Luke and Vader (Anakin?) were now looking at her intently, and she noticed the Togruta had taken a step forward as well and was staring at her.

Mothma's voice trailed off.

Luke spoke up apologetically, "I'm sorry, Pooja. I should have warned you. We've been careful not to discuss the situation outside of the compound but I should have explained once we were inside the force field."

Pooja felt her face flush in embarrassment. She was dimly aware that she was broadcasting her horror to people who could feel every iota of pity and distress, and that was humiliating for a politician like herself.

Anakin didn't seem upset, though, as he stood up and approached her with a gentle smile on his face.

"It's all right, Pooja, I know how I look and it takes some getting used to."

The voice was very different as well. It wasn't the intimidating bass of Darth Vader, but a soft and husky voice. Belatedly, Pooja noticed the tube going into a hole in Anakin Skywalker's neck, which was attached to a cylinder held at his waist. She guessed it was oxygen support for his lungs.

Pooja put her hands out and grasped his prosthetic hands, which she noted were covered with synthskin and looked different than in his former persona as Vader. His legs, too, were thinner than before. And he didn't seem as tall as in the holovids.

In fact, he looked like an entirely different person. And he certainly sounded like a different person, gentle and understanding of her shock at his appearance.

"I apologize for interrupting your meeting," Pooja said.

Mon Mothma stood up.

"That's quite all right, Representative Naberrie. If you don't mind keeping Skywalker company, his son and I have a few things to discuss so we'll take over the office."

"How about the kitchen?" Luke asked, "I'm hungry."

There was a mutual chuckle, and Mothma, her aide, and Luke left the room.

Pooja was left standing awkwardly in front of her erstwhile uncle.

"Sit down, Pooja," he suggested gently. He disengaged his hands from hers, and sat back down and looked at the Togruta.

"You too, Snips. You don't need to loom over me constantly like an especially hungry Rancor," he chided.

"I prefer to stand, Skyguy," the Togruta responded, "I just spent the last 3 days on a Starfighter getting here and I'm tired of being hunched up like a vine snake in a drain pipe.

Pooja lifted an inquiring eyebrow at 'Snips'.

"I'm Ahsoka Tano," the Togruta explained, "Anakin was my master back in the days of the Clone Wars."

"You're a Jedi?" Pooja demanded in amazement. She had thought they were all gone, except for Luke.

"I was never knighted," Tano explained. A shadow passed across her face, but Pooja couldn't interpret it, "I left the Order before the Purges, drifted around for a time, got involved in the Rebellion, and now I'm Skyguy's…"

"Jailer," Anakin finished calmly.

Pooja looked around her.

"So that's what this is?" she asked evenly, "A prison?"

Anakin nodded, "For now, anyway."

Pooja sank into another chair. She wasn't sure what to think about all this. On one hand, Darth Vader deserved death. On the other hand, surely Anakin Skywalker had earned some thanks and reward for sacrificing himself to kill the Emperor.

"So has there been a trial?" she heard herself say.

"There has not," Luke said as he walked back into the room, taking random bites out of a ration bar, "Because officially, Darth Vader is dead."

"But thanks to you, Luke," Anakin said, "I did not die. The fact that the galaxy believes I am dead doesn't make it right to hide my survival. It is only appropriate that I be officially tried and if convicted, executed. Certainly, I deserve death for my crimes against the galaxy."

Mon Mothma walked in at the tail end of this sentence, "Anakin Skywalker, I realize that you've been used to largely directing your own life and actions, but this obsession with being tried and likely executed is growing tedious. You are no longer in charge. You are a prisoner of war. The Alliance council, along with your children, will decide your fate. If we decide you must spend the rest of your life lolling around in a comfortable prison while we pick your brain of useful information, you will just have to live with it."

Luke and Ahsoka smiled, and Pooja belatedly realized she had walked into what was apparently a well worn argument.

"Seriously, Father," Luke said, "Leia and I will abide by the decision of the Alliance Council, but you must see the information you are providing on a regular basis is of vital importance for the war. And as we discussed in the Force Vision a couple of months ago, there is much we can learn from you about the ways of the Force."

Pooja saw Anakin's scarred face grow sadder and grimmer, "I realize that, all of you. But the reality is that the galaxy deserves my death. You are putting certain Imperials on trial for war crimes, are you not?"

Luke looked uncomfortable, but Mothma responded calmly, "Yes."

"How can you ethically justify putting those on trial who worked for me, or for Palpatine, and yet not try me, the instigator of some of the most heinous crimes ever perpetrated against the people of the galaxy? I live every day with the awareness of my crimes, Mon Mothma. I fear that my children's high rank in your government is swaying justice falsely in my favor. I also fear that if it ever leaks out that I'm still alive, my children will suffer. I have already caused them untold pain. I urge you to reconsider whether I should be allowed to live even another day."

There was a dreadful silence, and Luke's face grew white.

Pooja spoke up without thinking, "Uncle Ani?"

The pale, hairless face of Anakin Skywalker turned to her, looking slightly surprised that she was introducing herself into this discussion.

She reached out her hands and grasped her uncle's hands, "Uncle Ani, I am not your child, or your former apprentice, or the woman who is helping lead the Alliance to victory. I'm a junior representative from one insignificant planet in the Outer Rim. Mother has told me much about Aunt Padme, though I don't remember her well. I do know this. Padme was brave, and she was loyal, and she did her duty. Madame Mothma is right. This decision is no longer yours to make. You are here, right now, and you are alive. All you can do is live each second, each minute, each hour, and each day to the best of your ability. You don't know the future. None of us do. I urge you not to agonize over your sins of the past to the point that you cannot do good for the future of the galaxy. And do not deprive your son of his time with you, time that he obviously longs to spend with the only father he will ever have."

She stopped, surprised at her outpouring of words and suddenly frightened she had said the wrong thing. But Luke looked at her with gratitude and tears in his eyes and said, "Pooja is right, Father. Every second, every minute, every hour, every day is a chance for you to leave a positive legacy."

The former Darth Vader straightened his back and disengaged his hands from his niece's. His blue eyes, so much like his son's, grew bright with tears and a gentle smile transformed his disfigured face. He patted Pooja gently on the shoulder and, then, looking at those around him, nodded and said softly, "As you wish."

 **The End**

 _Authors Note: I know, this ended rather abruptly! But I felt like this was a good place to end it, with Palpatine dead and Naboo free. Anakin's fate is somewhat unknown, but that's realistic for a man who has that kind of history. But I know that he and Luke will cherish the time that they have together. And if I get inspired, I'll write an Epilogue!_

 _Also, I haven't been publicly thanking my husband for beta'ing this. Thank you, honey! Your keen eye for typos and logic errors has been invaluable._

 _And last but not least, thanks so much to those of you who have read and reviewed this fanfic. It has been fun to write._


	28. Chapter 28

**Epilogue**

 _1 year after the burial of Padme Naberrie Skywalker's bones in the garden at Varykino_

 _In a shuttle approaching the safe house/prison on the Varykino estate_

Anakin Skywalker sat back and closed his eyes. On the one hand, it had been a long journey and he was thoroughly tired of being manacled to the chair in the prison cell in the shuttle. The shock collar around his neck chafed, irritating his tender and scarred skin.

On the other hand, the chair was at least comfortable. It was padded and tall enough to support his lengthy frame. A flick of the Force would recline it back substantially, allowing him to sleep relatively easily. Every three hours, his jailer came in and released him, allowing him to walk around, eat, drink, and use the refresher. His oxygen tank was carefully monitored and his medical needs tended to promptly. Certainly, he had treated his own prisoners for more cruelly when he was Darth Vader.

Nevertheless, he was very happy to be almost 'home', which is to say his prison at the Varykino estate on Naboo. His wife's family had graciously allowed the New Republic to fortify and augment the facility where he lived, and he was now a comfortable prisoner there most of the time.

He felt the shuttle shake just slightly as it went through its landing sequence. He suppressed a groan of irritation. In his life as Darth Vader, he had been accustomed to being transported in ships piloted by others, as flying his own shuttle was considered beneath his dignity. But back then, he could choose his own pilots, and strangle them if their flying was beneath his standards. He didn't miss the strangling (really, he didn't!) but he did miss picking his own pilots. Sometimes these shuttle pilots seemed picked more for their availability than their skill.

There was a rather hard thump, and he knew the shuttle had landed. He stretched out his Force sense, pleased to be in familiar environs again.

Anakin stiffened. Luke was here. And Leia! And her Corellian husband. And their twins! Family reunion!

His pale and scarred face wore a big smile as the door to his cell opened. Ahsoka Tano stepped in with the code cylinder in her hand, and smiled in response.

"I sense your family is here, Skyguy," she said, reaching over and unlocking the manacles and taking off the shock collar.

Two guards were standing at the door, blasters drawn, but by this point his guards were obeying protocol, not acting out of fear. Anakin had been careful to be the model prisoner in all situations, to ensure that his children would not be caught in a political crossfire over his continued existence.

Anakin stood up slowly and walked out into the main shuttle cabin, then down the ramp. At the bottom stood Luke, smiling happily. The two men exchanged a manly hug, and then Luke turned to Ahsoka and took the code cylinder from her, scrawled a quick signature on a datapad she handed to him, and smiled.

"Ok, Ahsoka," he said, "I'm officially on guard duty now. Have a good vacation."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "Good vacation, right. I will probably get pulled into some thoroughly tedious meetings about the Jedi Temple or the New Jedi Order or be asked to type out reports in for some missions five years ago that I can't remember anyway…"

"You should go somewhere fun, Ahsoka," said a new voice, "Not Coruscant."

Anakin looked up at Han Solo, whom he had sensed approaching.

They exchanged courteous nods. Their relationship was strained but polite. That was more than could be expected, and Anakin was grateful. He had, after all, tortured the man, frozen him in carbonite, and shipped him off to be killed by a vile Hutt Lord.

Ahsoka arched an eyebrow, "Got any good ideas, Solo?"

Luke tilted his head toward the house, and said softly "They could be at it for a while. Shall we go in the house?"

"Good-bye, Snips," Anakin said with a smile, and got a grin in return from his former padawan, even as she and Solo plunged into an animated discussion of possible vacation delights.

"Are you more of an urban girl? Or would you prefer some crazy adventure climbing up precipitous mountains or swimming through cold underground streams?" they heard Solo say.

Luke chuckled, then gestured for his father to proceed him into the house. Outside his official prison home, there were certain rules that Luke and Ahsoka and the other Force sensitive jailers always followed. Keep the prisoner in sight at all times. Never turn your back on him. What had the potential to be humiliating and painful had turned into rather a game. Again, Anakin was grateful to his son, who had made his indefinite imprisonment so much better than he had any right to expect.

And now it appeared that he would be spending substantial time with Luke, as he was taking over "jailer" duties.

The vast majority of the galaxy still believed that Darth Vader had died while fighting and killing the Emperor. However, a select cadre at the highest level of the Alliance knew of his survival. Anakin didn't know the details of the discussions among the New Republic leadership, but knew that execution had been a very real possibility. However, in the end, the decision was made to imprison him, with the understanding that he might still be publicly tried for war crimes. Anakin, in turn, had given all possible assistance to the New Republic.

The last two weeks, Anakin had been held on Coruscant so that various leaders could conduct intensive meetings with him concerning the Imperial warlords who were fighting for control over the remains of the Imperial Fleet. There was particular concern about a brilliant strategist who had emerged from the Outer Regions, a Chiss named Thrawn.

The galaxy was still in turmoil, though much had improved. The decades of human domination with Palpatine as Emperor were gradually subsiding. The new Senate was well represented by all races. There had even been inroads into Hutt Space, where the Hutts had enslaved so many for so long.

Perhaps his children would see the slaves of Tatooine freed.

Anakin stepped into the safe house. The building had been expanded over the last year, along with the enclosed area around the house. It was now an enclave not just for him, but for the occasional New Republic emissary or official who needed private discussion with the former Darth Vader. In addition, there was ample space for Anakin's guards and Force trained jailer. There were bedrooms, two pleasant kitchens, a dining room, refreshers, and two meeting rooms.

He turned right into the main living area of "his" section of the house. He stopped a meter in, and gazed in wonder at his grandchildren. His granddaughter Brehana (named after Leia's adoptive mother) and his grandson Ruwee (named after Padme's father, who had passed on in the last year) were sitting on the floor gazing at each other with rapt attention. He shook his head in amazement. He could already feel the intense Force bond between the six month old twins.

Anakin felt a familiar ache, knowing that his own twins' bond had been stretched and damaged by 19 years apart. But they were the best of friends now.

His daughter Leia was sitting on a couch, feet on a stool, brow furrowed as she hastily read a datapad, even while she absently wiggled a baby rattle with the Force. The twins took turns looking at one another and then at the rattle. At the moment, they were quiet and happy, but Anakin knew from very limited experience that they could go from calm to ballistic in 20 seconds flat. He was truthfully in awe of his daughter, who had managed a difficult pregnancy and a 4 week preterm birth while also helping build the New Republic from the ashes of the Old. Of late, of course, she had been primarily busy with her twins who were, according to Luke, usually sleeping through the night now.

Leia apparently finished the document because she looked up now and her face broke into a welcoming smile.

"Hello Luke, Father," she said, and stood up to give her father a careful hug, and her twin an enthusiastic one.

Of all the miracles in the last year, his current relationship with Leia was the greatest. There was still strain, still pain, but Leia had chosen to forgive him. And despite his self-loathing at his crimes against his daughter, Anakin had forced himself to accept her forgiveness. The greatest bridge between them was Padme Naberrie Skywalker. Leia had a passionate, aching need to know more about her mother. Anakin was all too ready to spend as many hours as his daughter wanted talking about Padme, describing not just her political acumen and legislative brilliance, but her personality, her likes and dislikes, the good times of their marriage. By tacit agreement, they had only discussed the terrible encounter on Mustafar once. The rest of the time, they kept the conversation on more pleasant topics.

"Luke," Leia said rather urgently, "I've got a report I absolutely must finish and the twins have been crazy. Can you and Father watch them for a few minutes? Han has to make a quick trip to the nearby village…"

"Of course, Leia. If they go completely nuts, I'm sure you'll sense them. Are they liable to get hungry?"

Leia eyed her offspring somewhat dubiously, "No, they've been fed, changed, and had a nap recently. They should be calm as a pair of fat shaaks. But you never know with these two."

She knelt down on the floor and gave each baby a kiss. They wriggled and giggled as she said, "You two be good for your uncle and grandfather, Ok?"

"We'll be fine, Leia," Luke said, and waved her off.

She smiled her thanks, and left the room.

Anakin sat down on his favorite chair while Luke flopped onto the floor next to the twins. The little ones weren't crawling yet, but they showed so much excitement at having their uncle nearby that he used the Force to gently lift them close.

The ensuing conversation therefore took place in the midst of babies tugging Luke's hair and yanking on his clothing.

It was a testimony to how much Anakin had mellowed that he enjoyed that aspect of their interaction instead of finding it at all annoying.

"So what are you permitted to tell me about the galaxy, Luke?" Anakin asked, a little wryly, after they had spent some minutes enjoying time with babies.

Luke and Leia weren't allowed to share state secrets with their war criminal father.

Luke smiled and then looked thoughtful, "I actually have something rather momentous to tell you, Father."

Anakin sat up and focused in on his son. Now that he was paying more attention, he could sense the underlying vibration of excitement and…a little trepidation, in his son.

"I'm listening," Anakin said with a reassuring nod.

"I… met a girl," Luke said, and actually blushed a little.

Anakin stiffened in surprise. Luke was handsome, well connected politically, and the foremost Jedi Knight in the galaxy. One of the definitive conclusions drawn by the current Force users in the New Republic was that the "no attachment" rule of the Old Order had been unhealthy. There was therefore no barrier to Luke forming a romantic relationship and even getting married someday.

In fact, Anakin knew from Leia that many a rich, beautiful young woman had thrown herself at his son. But so far, he had been totally impervious to such feminine charms. In fact, Leia had bemoaned that fact more than once to her father.

Given Luke's embarrassed reaction, his father knew it behooved him to tread carefully.

"That's … nice, Luke. Tell me about her," he said invitingly.

Luke paused, took off his lightsaber and tossed it to his father, "Can you hold onto this? I don't want one of the twins getting to it."

Anakin grinned. What would the New Republic officials think of that? They would have a collective heart attack. But inside the "safe house", the normal security rules didn't apply. He set it on the couch beside him, away from possible questing baby fingers.

Absently, Anakin floated a water bottle from the corner of the room into his hand and opened the cap. One of the challenges of his damaged body was that he grew dehydrated quickly. He drank a slug of water.

Luke continued a little shyly, "Well…she's a Force sensitive, a pretty strong one. She's got a wicked sense of humor. She's a good pilot. She's intelligent. A hard worker. A decent mechanic. She doesn't…she doesn't kowtow to me. I have so many people who just get weird around me, Father. Some venerate me, some hate me, but most people have a hard time treating me like a person. I don't want to be treated as a god or a demon or some kind of surreal, mystical creature who is going to go all Master Yoda on them at the blink of an eye. I know my life will never be entirely normal, but if I ever get married, I want it to be an equal marriage."

Anakin looked startled, "Are you already talking about marriage?"

Luke shook his head, "Oh no, but my point is that I am not willing to even consider a romantic relationship if marriage is out of the question. I don't want to just have a 'fun' dating relationship with someone. I see what Leia and Han have. I'm not sure I'll ever be blessed the way they are, but I'm not going to waste my time with some rich, pretty girl who is focused on dating me as a social trophy."

Anakin nodded, impressed. In his own day as a Jedi, romance and marriage had been forbidden. His relationship with Padme had developed in secret, with much uneasiness and guilt and worry. Luke was walking a new path, and obviously had given considerable thought to the question of healthy romance.

"Is she attractive?" Anakin asked idly.

"Oh yes, she is gorgeous. I mean, looks aren't everything. I know that. But wow, she is just amazing looking. Beautiful red hair, green eyes, tall, athletic. I guess you could say I thoroughly appreciate the way she looks."

Anakin smiled at this. He remembered, fondly, his first sight of Padme. He had been only 9 years old and thought she was an angel.

"So," he said as he took another drink, "What is the young woman's name?"

Luke hesitated briefly, and said, "Mara Jade."

Anakin choked so suddenly that the water in his mouth arced out and sprayed against his startled grandchildren. They both looked at him with wide eyes, then smiled in joyous amazement.

Luke looked worried as his father's coughing fit continued. He started to get up, but Anakin waved him off.

"Mara Jade?" Anakin whispered in outrage, when he could get the words out. In the old days, he would have boomed those words, but his vocal cords wouldn't allow it, "Mara _Jade_?"

Luke looked rather alarmed, "Father, don't strain yourself…"

Anakin stood up and began pacing with rather Vader-like strides.

"She's an Emperor's Hand, Luke. An assassin! I don't suppose she told you _that_."

"Of course she did," Luke said soothingly, "Father, please calm down!"

Anakin shook his head in exasperation.

" _See what happened when you let yourself be locked up?"_ he reproached himself silently, " _Your son falls for an assassin!"_

After another few minutes of pacing, Anakin felt calm enough to sit down on the couch again.

With a resigned sigh, he asked, "Where did you meet this oh so lovely lady, Luke?"

Brehana tipped over at this point and fell on her side, squawking indignantly. Her uncle and grandfather were briefly distracted, but once Luke had set the baby back on her padded bottom, peace reigned again.

Luke continued cheerfully enough, "I actually met Mara seven months ago. There was this painful ball on Coruscant. All these rich, powerful, influential people came and were mingling and dancing and eating expensive food and drinking too much ritzy alcohol. Leia dragged me to it since I am the galactic face of the New Jedi Order. She was very pregnant with the babies, and she pulled out the twin bond stops to get me to go. Said she needed my 'support' and all that. I'd prefer to battle a rancor than go to a fancy dress ball. But I did it. I dressed up and went, just because I love my sister so much. I tell you, at times like that I really do feel like a hero."

Anakin chuckled in spite of himself. He too had despised such events, both as Anakin Skywalker and as Darth Vader.

"And Mara Jade was there? That's astonishing given her history as a servant of Palpatine's."

"Yes, she was there, though as someone else. An invitation had been sent out to someone who was visiting family on Corellia, and Mara got hold of the invite and disguised herself enough like that person to get into the ball."

Anakin's brow furrowed, "Why did she do that?"

Luke looked uncomfortable, "Well, to be blunt, she tried to assassinate me. She had smuggled a vibroblade in a boot and tried to stab me through the heart. Fortunately, the Emperor skimped on her Force training so I sensed the attack and disabled her without anyone being hurt. It was quite the five day wonder on the Holonet, though. There was screaming and outrage and yelping about poor security. Some of which was legitimate…the security was a bit weak…"

He trailed off as Anakin fixed him with a wide eyed, shocked gaze.

"She tried to kill you," the former Sith Lord said.

"Yes, she did," Luke said, and added, "But in her mind, there were good reasons."

"And you are in love with her," Anakin continued, fixing his son with a basilisk stare.

"I'm not in love with her, Father, no. And she's not in love with me. But we are _very_ good friends. I thought I should give you a little warning just in case our relationship does develop to the point that we end up sharing a life."

Anakin shook his head in despair, "You know, there is a word for what you have. I can't remember what it is called, though. A desire to rescue people. It's some kind of weird psychological disorder. First you rescue me, your insane Sith Lord father. Now you want to rescue the foremost Emperor's Hand, a noted assassin…"

"Father," Luke interrupted, "Can I just tell you what happened after her attempt to kill me?"

His father sighed and waved a vaguely encouraging hand.

"So of course the New Republic locked Mara up. I sensed her Force sensitivity and was curious as to why she made an attempt on me, so I went down and visited her. Repeatedly. She was totally silent for about two weeks, and then she started yelling at me. Like I said, I don't get enough honest people and she was honest about her total loathing of who I was and everything I stood for."

"Palpatine brainwashed her very thoroughly," Anakin pointed out.

Instead of looking discouraged, Luke brightened, "Exactly, Father! She'd been brainwashed! And here's the interesting thing. She had a really close Force bond to the Emperor and she 'saw' him die, including the moment when my lightsaber cut through him in the Palace on Naboo. I'm the only Force user around with a green lightsaber so she figured I was the culprit. And of course I was, though if you hadn't lured him to the right place, we couldn't have killed him. Anyway, I told her yes, I killed him, and she yelled some more. But after about a month of conversation, we started really talking. She had a lot of training in analyzing situations to help her carry out operations for Palpatine. Within a few weeks she was willing to look at the data on who Palpatine was, how he operated, his true motivations. I won't go into all the details of our discussions for privacy and time reasons, but within a month she was absolutely convinced that Darth Sidious was a vile despot who had been manipulating and using her for her entire life. I pulled a few strings and convinced the New Republic to let her go. Fortunately, her true name had been kept off the Holonet and her disguise was good enough that she wasn't recognized during her attack on me.

"She started working on Coruscant for a rather brilliant information broker named Talon Karrde. I'm not on Coruscant all the time, of course, but we try to spend time together when we can. And at least on my side, my attraction and admiration is only growing."

Luke paused, and blushed slightly again, "And I'm fairly certain she reciprocates."

Anakin continued to stare at him in disbelief.

The silence was broken by the twins, who started fussing in sync.

A moment later, the door opened and Leia stepped in, looking much more relaxed.

"Thanks so much for watching them," she said cheerfully, "I got that report done. And now these little squeaks are probably about ready for their next meal."

She then looked at her father and brother, sensing the obvious discomfort radiating from Anakin.

"Is there a problem?" she asked hesitantly.

Anakin turned his head toward her slowly.

"Your brother…" he said, "just told me about his relationship with Mara Jade."

"Ah, I was wondering when he'd have the courage to tell you," Leia said with a smile, even as she picked up her babies and bounced them a little, "She's an interesting person."

"You can't seriously tell me you approve of this relationship," Anakin said, appalled, "She tried to kill him!"

"Yes, but her reasoning, while flawed, was logical based on the information she had. I think she's a good fit for Luke, though of course there is plenty of time to see if it works out. Han and I took 3 years to realize we were a good match. They have time."

"I will say, though," Leia added with a twinkle in her eye, "I've already started putting some feelers out to House Naberrie about a possible wedding here. Just in case."

Luke grinned and lurched to his feet, putting an arm around his sister.

"Thanks, Leia."

Anakin could only drop his face into his hands with a groan.

 ** _Author Note: Those of you who read my "Trial of Luke Skywalker" epilogue probably have realized I have a thing for babies. They are so cute! I couldn't resist some fluffy baby antics, plus giving Anakin a near heart attack._**


End file.
